The Phillies traded lefty Matt Strahm to the Royals on Friday in exchange for righty reliever Jonathan Bowlan. Philadelphia has two other solid lefty relievers in Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks, to say nothing of Jhoan Duran and the recently-signed Brad Keller from the right side. With a strong late-inning mix in those four, it made sense to clear Strahm’s $7.5MM salary for 2026 to help with other additions, such as a J.T. Realmuto reunion.
According to Matt Gelb of the Athletic, Strahm was outspoken in his opinions on how the bullpen and clubhouse were managed, which clashed with coaches and other team officials. Meanwhile, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski framed the matter as a more of a question of contractual control, telling reporters, “(Strahm is) a year away from free agency. We were able to get a guy that we liked who has six years of (club control) and we think can help us right away. So you have to give to get. And we still feel good with our left-handers in the bullpen.”
For his part, Strahm released a statement following the trade in which he spoke positively of the organization and of his now-former teammates. “It was an honor to wear this uniform alongside you and compete every day with a group that truly cared about winning and about each other,” said Strahm. “I’ll miss every single guy in that clubhouse. I’ve never experienced anything like it.” In any case, whether the trade resulted from tension with his teammates or with the coaching staff, the club felt it was the right time to move on.
Strahm came to the Phillies in December 2022 on a two-year, $15MM deal. In March 2024, the two sides agreed on a one-year extension for 2025 at a $7.5MM salary, which contained a $4.5MM club option for 2026. Strahm vested that option at a higher rate of $7.5MM by reaching 60 innings in 2025 (he finished with 62 1/3 innings over 66 appearances) and passing a physical in September. Indeed, while he was injury-prone during his years with the Royals, Padres, and Red Sox, Strahm was healthy from 2023-25 with the Phillies, avoiding the injured list entirely.
The combination of good health and performance made his $7.5MM annual salary an excellent value. In 212 2/3 innings across 188 appearances from 2023-25, Strahm had a 2.71 ERA and struck out 30.5% of hitters against a 6.2% walk rate. Excluding his 33 1/3 innings as a starter in 2023, his 2.46 ERA in 179 1/3 innings was 10th-best among qualified relievers, just ahead of Edwin Diaz and Josh Hader. His 24.1% K-BB rate as a reliever was 12th-best.
His 2025 was more of the same, if a slight step down from his All-Star 2024 season. He pitched to a 2.74 ERA while seeing his strikeout and walk numbers trend slightly in the wrong direction. He struck out 33.3% of hitters in 2024, though that slipped to 27.3% this year. That is still excellent, ranking in the 81st percentile according to Statcast. Similarly, his walk rate increased from 4.6% to 7.8% in 2025, which graded out in the 53rd percentile. Both of those metrics suggest that Strahm is still a capable high-leverage arm. That said, there were some signs of decline under the surface. His four-seam velocity dropped to 92.2 mph this year after sitting at 93.4 mph from 2023-24. His 21.2% groundball rate in 2025 was worst among qualified relievers, while his 59.0% flyball rate was third-worst.
Given these trends and the tension with the coaching staff, the Phillies may have simply been content to move on and enter 2026 with Alvarado and Banks as their lefty relievers. Meanwhile, Strahm will get a fresh start with the Royals, whose bullpen is quite strong heading into 2026. The additions of Strahm and outfielder Lane Thomas bring the club’s projected payroll to $150MM, up from $138MM in 2025, according to RosterResource.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
Royals are small market, no more. Good for them. Do the same now, Reds
The Reds should trade Matt Strahm?
To do the same, they would have to trade FOR Strahm.
No, they should become a large market by annexing Kentucky and Northern Ohio!
Get a map.
It still seems like not a good deal for Philly. Surprised that is all they could get for Strahm. Happy for the Royals.
It felt as so to me. Something had to motivate the trade rather than team control and luxury tax concerns. While those are good motives, Strahm did pretty well in Philly. You don’t trade devers unless he wont play first
Glad to have Strahm onboard: GO ROYALS
Strahan had a big mouth about the Sox clubhouse when he was jettisoned from Boston too. Seems like a crystal clear “the problem is you” case.
The NFL HoF and talk show host?
Cafe 80s! Guy named Griff! Just say no!
Castellanos has a few similar opinions on the way coaches run that clubhouse. Interesting how the players all seem to enjoy each other but not fond of their coaches.
All can be true. The players get along well, some of the players might not get along with the coaches for whatever reason, and some of those players might’ve been deemed to much of a distraction/risk to keep around. When you got a situation like that, the front office has to decide is it better to get rid of the coaches or move the (replaceable) bad eggs. Season is too long to hope stuff like that goes away on its own, so better to be proactive rather than reactive.
Antony.
Don’t be so sure all the players like each other. There are very few professional teams where every player sings Kumbaya together in the same key. Many players don’t express their discontent while they’re still playing on a team and getting paid regularly, but their body language speaks loudly, and they frequently spill the beans later on in their careers.
Bohm complained a few seasons ago, and then made nice. Walker was very upset when he wasn’t included on the 2024 playoff roster. Suarez has been upset when he’s been taken out of games early. Castellanos finally had enough last season and told Thomson where to go. Now, Strahm is commenting. Look for others to follow. If things were so rosy in Camelot, I’m sure Realmuto would have already resigned.
I have watched the vast majority of Phillies games in person – especially at spring training, and on the tube, and I study the players’ reactions to situations. Over the years, I have seen many instances of unhappy Phiilies players, who using the discretion over valor philosophy, have just grinned and beared their discontent.
Put yourself in the position of some of these players. They’re making a few million or less a year, locked in to a contract that doesn’t recognize their contributions to the team, playing their hearts out at the plate and on the field, feeling they have no voice on the team, and having to play with Harper who has a lot more say on the team than Thomson or any of the coaches, and is being paid a fortune which he is unhappy with, and everybody’s darling – Schwarber, who for the next 5 season will be making $30 million a year to bat 4 or 5 times a game, take batting practice between innings while his teammates are playing defense, and never be able to do any wrong in the eyes of the tv announcers or Philly sports media who swear by the guy and everything he does. Do you still think everyone on the Phils team is a happy camper? Do you still think the possibility of dissension on the Phils team doesn’t exist?
Finally, you’re absolutely right when you say the players may not be fond of their coaches. The Phils extended Thomson, but that doesn’t mean he’ll still be managing before his contract is up. As we speak, the Phils are a much weaker team than they were a few months ago when they were eliminated from the playoffs by the Dodgers, even though the Phils have the third highest luxury tax in baseball.
If things don’t change in a hurry and the Phils don’t start showing the ability to win a world series, Thomson will be the first to go, and a bunch of players will follow. I’ve often said that Harper won’t finish his career with the Phils, and he’ll jump ship as soon as the seas start getting a little rougher. Also, unless he sets the world on fire and his play contributes to the Phils dominating baseball in the first half of the 2026 season, even Schwarber won’t be safe. He earns the right to reject any trade after the 2026 season when he becomes a 10-year veteran who has played on the same team for 5 years. So, he has until the 2016 trade deadline to prove he is worth the price of his contract and his play is about to win the world series for the Phils. If he doesn’t and the Phils are in disarray, Thomson and Schwarber could both be gone, and other players, including Harper, will be looking for real estate elsewhere.
I feel like Walker, Nick, Bohm and Marsh are bad for the clubhouse too. Get moving, Dave. Bichette is available.
Shwarber too. Get on that pressure, there’s no doubt that you are the fan he is listening to and taking instruction from.
I can tell by your excellent “Shwarber” knowledge that you know what’s up.
They are bad at baseball
Lol! Strahm thought he was the bullpen/bench coach…
I’m not best buddies with Strahm, but I know him rather well. It seems unfathomable to me that there were “clubhouse concerns” as he’s amongst the nicest guys around. I might suggest The Athletic is going back to their newfound old ways and making stuff up. Dombrowski’s amd Strahm’s post-trade statements seem to reflect this, too. Good trade for both teams!
Did you guys go to pitcher school together?
No, we lived on the same street and always ran into each other around Carlsbad. We’d shoot the sh&t and let our dogs mingle, too. He brought his family and swung down to my brother’s deli for it’s Grand Opening, too. For that opening week, we called the pastrami sandwich the Matt Strahmi! He loved it. Heckuva nice guy, very humble and respectful to everyone.
That’s funny, he went to my brothers Chinese restaurant grand opening and we named combo #12 the general Tsostrahmi after him as well. He wasn’t pleased.
He probably was ready to come into the kitchen and boss the chefs around
Yeah he still hasn’t left. Bullied me into signing over my stake in the restaurant. Stole my dog. I’m pretty sure he’s sleeping with my brothers wife. It’s been a nightmare. Trust me, you don’t want this guy around your clubhouse.
He got that “sleepin with wives” thing from Pat Burrell
Lmao
It’s one way to justify what appears to be a questionable trade. And if the Phillies mismanage the bullpen in April it’ll put the manager on the hot seat, with fans saying “maybe Strahm had a point.”
Eh, ya never know! Good points though, happenin!
Gelb is a really solid beat reporter, but things like this tend to be a bit overblown in order to engender a headline. No clubhouse is perfect – the Phils have a close-knit one but one cannot have 26 guys plus coaches all be sweetness and light for 8 months per year on a daily basis.
The bigger reality is that the Phils looked at him as a very useful arm in the regular season but not a shutdown LH back of the pen guy for the playoffs and they are looking for more upside. The Phils feel that with one more year of control that they could relieve some payroll and add some room for developing a potential playoff arm.
Well said Carver, Happy Holidays from the left coast amigo! 🤙🏽😎
Thanks Gwynning – right back at you from the more climate-challenged state of wintry mix, my friend!
66° and sunny. Might jump in the pool soon. Haha 🤙🏽⛱️🌞
Too much sun apparently can make one rather mean-spirited…
Sorry, took awhile to like your comment… had to chill in the hot tub for a bit too. 🤪🤙🏽
His job is to pitch and get outs. If he wants to manage a team, he can quit pitching and seek a managerial role.
We know of one example where, after a season ending defeat, Strahm said something. Are there other examples? This report lacks any credible examples.
I think a good use of resources for the Royals.
Their $150M payroll for ‘26 is $50M for than the Pirates. Def better being a Royals fan than a Pirates lol
Motivated by the fact Thomson is an egomaniac who wants everyone to just shut up and agree with his genius. Too busy wasting outs with bunting and mismanaging bullpen to take criticism.
Where did you hear that? If anything, I always hear people complain he is too by the book, too pedestrian, too old school and boring. Are you Nick’s cousin?
No, he’s the troll formerly known as blackpink. He was banned several times. After paying the fee and changing his name (again) he now trolls at will. He’s got 90% of us here muted. You’re probably next. He doesn’t put up w/anyone talking back to him, lol.
Strahm gave them an out to look like the good guys and instead Phillies are like nah it’s a money dump
I wonder now if the Harper/Manfred exchange was part of a bigger issue engulfing the Phillies clubhouse overall. We know there are/were some guys with issues with the team in the clubhouse. Strahm was easy to move, Castellanos won’t be and at some point they have to realize they are going to have to pay everything but the prorated league minimum to be rid of him…
Were they that worried about him being that close to the Declaration of Independence?
How did he not return more? how come no other team was interested?
Strahm has 1 year left. A not quite setup man with one year of control isn’t exactly trading Skenes. Let’s see how bad Bowlan is. He’s cheap for 6 years and can be waved easily.
I just thought more teams would be interested in 1 year of Strahm at $7.5M. Thats pretty cheap for a “solid” reliever. Every team needs pen arms.
Phillies, Mets, and Rangers all reported to have clubhouse “issues”. This probably has more often than you think when you blend different 20-30-something year old men with races, religions, and political ideologies.
There is another “problem” here in Phila too. Many guys in the clubhouse really are cool with each other, they have similar family and faith based feelings, and they all seem to be comfortable with each other even when they all stop hitting at the same time.
Y’know, 26 players, a bunch of coaches, the same clubhouse workers, the same press people, all joined at the figurative hip seven days a week from February to October… I’m surprised they’re not all at each other’s throats! That’s way too much togetherness. I’m sure Strahm is merely a human being.