St. Louis Cardinals may have discovered a simple and affordable solution to one of their biggest weaknesses this season: the bullpen. While the Cardinals have exceeded expectations in many areas during the 2026 campaign, relief pitching has continued to be a concern, and a familiar veteran arm could now provide help at the perfect time.
Despite their strong position in the standings, the Cardinals’ bullpen numbers have not been particularly impressive. Entering the latest stretch of the season, St. Louis ranked 20th in Major League Baseball with a 4.43 bullpen ERA. Even with those struggles, the club has remained highly competitive and currently sits tied for second place in the National League Central alongside the Chicago Cubs with a strong 28-19 record.
The surprising success of this year’s Cardinals squad has energized the fan base. After a few inconsistent seasons, many believe this is the most exciting St. Louis team the franchise has fielded since at least 2022. A younger roster has stepped up throughout the year, helping the team play with energy, confidence, and consistency on both sides of the ball.
Because the organization traded away several veteran players before the season, however, it would be surprising to see the front office suddenly shift directions and pursue expensive additions or blockbuster trades. The Cardinals appear committed to building around their young core while maintaining long-term flexibility. Still, the team’s strong performance suggests management should look for smaller, low-risk ways to strengthen the roster without disrupting the chemistry that has developed.
One of the easiest and most logical areas to improve is the bullpen. Fortunately for St. Louis, a familiar name recently became available on the market. Veteran right-handed pitcher Matt Bowman was released by the Minnesota Twins organization after a strong run at the Triple-A level, creating an opportunity for the Cardinals to potentially reunite with a former member of their pitching staff.
According to reports from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Bowman’s release was likely tied to roster limitations rather than poor performance. In fact, the veteran reliever had been excellent with Triple-A St. Paul, posting a 1.69 ERA across 14 appearances. During that stretch, he recorded 25 strikeouts while issuing only six walks over 21 1/3 innings pitched. He also generated ground balls at an impressive 54.5 percent rate, showing he still possesses the ability to keep hitters off balance.
Bowman is certainly a recognizable figure for longtime Cardinals fans. He spent the first three seasons of his Major League career in St. Louis from 2016 through 2018 and appeared in 156 games for the organization. That remains the highest number of appearances he has made for any single MLB team. During his time with the Cardinals, Bowman posted a 4.10 ERA over 149 1/3 innings while serving in a variety of bullpen roles.
Over the course of his seven-year big league career, Bowman has pitched in 231 Major League games and owns a lifetime 4.38 ERA. Most recently, he appeared in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles last season, though he struggled to a 6.20 ERA in 20 outings.
Still, his dominant numbers at Triple-A this year suggest he may have rediscovered his form. For a Cardinals bullpen searching for dependable depth, Bowman could represent a low-cost, low-risk addition with valuable experience and familiarity with the organization.
Given the current state of the bullpen, bringing back Matt Bowman may be exactly the type of smart move the Cardinals should consider as they continue their surprising playoff push.
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