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The Phillies traded one of their top bullpen arms from the last three seasons in a move that cleared some salary from the payroll.
Left-hander Matt Strahm is heading back to Kansas City, where he first began his career with the Royals in 2016, and right-hander Jonathan Bowlan will join the Phillies, the club announced Friday morning. Strahm had a 2.74 ERA in 66 appearances in 2025. He’s set to earn $7.5 million next season, while Bowlan is still pre-arbitration.
Strahm, 34, joined the Phillies in 2023 and instantly became one of the most effective pitchers on the staff. The team used him as a starter early in his first season before he went on to become a high-leverage relief option for the rest of his tenure. Strahm was excellent in the 2023 postseason for the Phillies, putting up seven scoreless appearances, but he surrendered some big home runs in the playoffs the next two Octobers.
After the Phillies were eliminated in this year’s National League Division Series on a misplay by pitcher Orion Kerkering, Dave Dombrowski, the club’s president of baseball operations, publicly disputed comments made by Strahm implying that Phillies pitchers did not do enough fielding practice. The executive added that Strahm did not participate in the fielding practice that the rest of the staff did in the days leading up to the postseason.
But Strahm was one of the finer bullpen acquisitions that Dombrowski has made in Philadelphia, and he will not be easy to replace. The team did add right-hander Brad Keller on a two-year deal earlier this week, but removing Strahm from the equation brings the depth back into question. The Phillies do have two other lefty relievers, José Alvarado and Tanner Banks, although Alvarado missed significant time this season due to suspension and injury.
Bowlan, 29, had a 3.86 ERA in 44 1/3 innings across 34 appearances in 2025. He could potentially serve as a long man or a middle reliever. While he won’t become a free agent until 2032, he is out of minor-league options.
The Phillies saved nearly $7 million in this trade, and they still have holes on the roster. There’s not currently a starting catcher with J.T. Realmuto out there in free agency. They could still use some pitchers and a righty-hitting platoon or bench outfielder. The onus will be on the team to reinvest the extra cash this offseason in order to have the best chance possible in 2026.
