How Ben Bowden Can Make Athletics Impact at Big-League Level

The A's are getting at it early this offseason as they look to add depth to their bullpen, whether for the big leagues or their Triple-A squad.

A few days ago, the club brought in 6'8 left-hander Luke Little on a minor league deal. Little used to throw triple digits before he suffered some injuries. The southpaw will look to crack the big-league roster this Spring.

New GM Cam Castro has added some additional support to the bullpen. This time, the A's have brought back left-hander Ben Bowden.

While the A's have yet to sign any major league contracts to start this offseason, building depth is important, especially if only non-40-man roster players can play during the impending lockout. This means Bowden and Little could start their seasons before other big leaguers do.

A's Bring Back Ben Bowden Once Again

Jul 27, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Athletics relief pitcher Ben Bowden (62) reacts after the final out against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This weekend, the club announced that Ben Bowden was coming back to the organization on a minor league contract. The 32-year-old southpaw will now spend a third year in the A's organization and will look to make an impact at the big-league level.

When the crafty left-hander joined the A's Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, in 2025, he got off to a very hot start. Bowden posted an impressive 1.36 ERA in 39.2 innings.

Since pitching is very difficult at the Las Vegas Ballpark, as we saw during this summer's Las Vegas Series, ERA's tend to be inflated for the Aviators. Bowden still dominated, which got fans excited for him in 2026.

In 2026, he would spend almost the entirety of the season in Triple-A, where he posted a 4.56 ERA in 51.1 innings pitched. He was a regular in the Triple-A bullpen and was one of the more reliable arms, considering the ERA inflation at the level.

Jul 25, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) celebrates with relief pitcher Ben Bowden (62) after the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bowden would only appear in one big-league inning in 2026, in which he walked two and allowed four earned runs. Clearly, he didn't have his best stuff that day, but the organization sees something in him.

Since Bowden has only 11.2 innings pitched at the Major League level with the A's, it feels like they haven't given him much of a chance. Sure, making the roster this season is a stretch for Bowden, but making an impact at some point over the course of the season is certainly in the cards.

The traditional lefty throws a fastball 70% of the time, and he also mixes in a changeup (22.5%), a slider (5%), and a curveball (2.5%).

Perhaps the A's will play with his arsenal and give him a chance to prove that he can be a solid middle reliever for the team, should his number be called during the 2027 season.

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