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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Royals reunited with veteran pitcher Matt Strahm on Friday when they acquired the former All-Star left-hander from the Phillies in a trade for right-hander Jonathan Bowlan.
In a second trade Friday, the Phillies acquired left-hander Kyle Backhus from the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu.
The 34-year-old Strahm has pitched for four clubs over 10 seasons in the majors.
He spent his first two seasons with the Royals, who selected him in the 21st round of the 2012 first-year player draft out of Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kansas. Strahm also pitched for the Padres and Red Sox and the past three years for the Phillies, where he was an All-Star in 2024 when he had a 1.87 ERA over 66 appearances.
He also made 66 appearances with a 2.74 ERA in 2025 and has a career 3.36 ERA in 395 appearances.
Strahm has a $7.5 million salary next season under an option that vested, part of a deal that is paying him $15 million for 2025 and 2026. He can become a free agent after the 2026 World Series.
The 29-year-old Bowlan has pitched in parts of the past three seasons for Kansas City. He made one start and appeared in a career-high 34 games in 2025, going 1-2 and posting a 3.86 ERA.
Backhus, 27, made 32 relief appearances for Arizona last season, going 0-3 with a 4.62 ERA. He was particularly good against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .139 average, and that is the role he is expected to fill in the Philadelphia bullpen.
Owusu-Asiedu, 22, has played in 218 games across three minor league levels in the Phillies system over the past three years, hitting .226 in 997 plate appearances. He was a ninth-round pick by Philadelphia in the 2023 first-year player draft.