This post was originally published on this site.
The Phillies could keep adjusting their bullpen, after adding a veteran arm.
During Tuesday’s media availability, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the club could continue to “look for arms in the bullpen.” By Wednesday, they acted on it, agreeing to a two-year, $22 million deal with right-hander Brad Keller.
This morning, ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote that the “best available” left-handed reliever is Matt Strahm, “who is likely to be traded by Philadelphia.”
Strahm is entering the final year of his contract and is set to make $7.5 million in 2026. He’s coming off yet another strong season, posting a 2.74 ERA in 66 appearances.
This is not the first time the southpaw has been mentioned this offseason. In November, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported that the Phillies generated interest in multiple left-handed relievers at the General Manager Meetings, including Strahm, as clubs surveyed bullpen options across the league.
That reporting followed the Phillies’ end-of-season press conference. During that availability, Dombrowski was asked about a reported comment Strahm made after the team’s Game 4 loss in the NLDS, when the series-clinching run scored on an error by reliever Orion Kerkering.
Per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, the comment referenced a perceived lack of focus on pitcher-fielding practice. Dombrowski responded by saying the club did “plenty” of pitcher-fielding work leading into the series and added that Strahm himself “didn’t do them, but we did them.”
After the last game of the season, Matt Strahm reportedly told reporters that the Phillies didn’t do enough Pitcher’s Fielding Practice. Dave Dombrowski and Rob Thomson disagree.
Neither side suggested the exchange impacted any evaluation, but it added context to an offseason in which Philadelphia has remained open to bullpen adjustments.
In addition to Strahm, the Phillies have left-handed options in Tanner Banks and José Alvarado, and Keller’s arrival further deepens the bullpen in terms of matchups.
Strahm’s value lies in his durability and that he’s a lefty who can get righties out. In 2025, right-handed hitters batted .196 with a .585 OPS against the 34-year-old. Keller’s standout year makes the idea of moving the Strahm easier to entertain — right-handed hitters produced just a .466 OPS against Keller.
Their group of left-handers also look stable if Strahm were to be dealt.
Among left-handed relievers who faced at least 110 left-handed batters last season, Banks allowed the fewest earned runs in the majors (five) and posted a 1.47 ERA — a mark topped league-wide only by back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
And in Alvarado’s career, he’s held left-handed hitters to a .565 OPS.
If the Phillies are comfortable with a group headlined by Banks, Alvarado, Kerkering, Keller and closer Jhoan Duran, Strahm becomes a trade chip. Effective left-handed relief remains one of the scarcest commodities in the sport, and Strahm’s salary is reasonable for a team looking to add late-inning help.
What it could mean
A move could tie back to the club’s biggest unresolved roster question. The Phillies have made an offer to J.T. Realmuto — according to Zolecki — and Dombrowski said Tuesday they “haven’t been able to get it done so far.”
If the talks stall, the trade market could become the cleaner path to filling catcher than a thin free-agent class.
Chicago’s Carson Kelly is one possible fit. The 31-year-old hit 17 homers in just 369 at-bats in 2025 and posted a .761 OPS along with a 3.6 WAR. Statcast placed him in at least the 90th percentile in blocks and caught stealing above average.
Kelly is entering the final year of his two-year, $11.5 million contract and has a mutual option for 2027 that is unlikely to be exercised. The Cubs also have catching depth, with the organization’s No. 2 prospect Moisés Ballesteros posting an .868 OPS in his first 20 big-league games.
Carson Kelly — Credit: David Banks (Imagn Images)
A more expensive, higher-profile option would be St. Louis’ Willson Contreras, who has two years and $36.5 million remaining on his contract. Contreras moved to first base full time last season, but he was a slightly above-average defensive catcher prior to the shift, and the bat remains productive — a .257/.344/.447 line with 20 homers and 80 RBIs in 2025.
With the Cardinals holding depth at both catcher and first base, a deal could help them clear payroll, while the Phillies would be betting on Contreras’ ability to handle catching duties again.
Willson Contreras — Credit: Joe Puetz (Imagn Images)
The organization could also explore a younger solution behind the plate. A recent trade between Seattle and Washington involving catching prospect Harry Ford and left-handed reliever José A. Ferrer provides a framework for how teams may value controllable catchers. Kansas City’s Carter Jensen, the Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing and Milwaukee’s Jefferson Quero are among the young backstops currently blocked at the big-league level.
Trading Strahm would only happen if the Phillies believe their bullpen can absorb the loss. The return would need to address a bigger need elsewhere, and catcher is the most obvious one at the moment.