Phillies Trade Matt Strahm, but Move Wasn’t Just About Saving Money

The Philadelphia Phillies traded one of their best relievers on Friday in a move that is curious on the surface.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm (25) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning during game one of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Matt Strahm has been a valuable member of the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen since he arrived in 2023. So, his trade on Friday was a bit unexpected.

The Phillies moved Strahm to the Kansas City Royals for reliever Jonathan Bowlan on Friday, a one-for-one swap being sold as a cost-cutting move. Strahm is due $7.5 million for 2026 while Bowlan, a pitcher with barely a year of service time will make less than $1 million.

So, yes, the trade will save money, and since the Phillies are expected to spend more than $300 million next season and still need to re-sign catcher J.T. Realmuto, every penny counts. But the deal was reportedly not just about the money.

Hidden Reason for Trading Matt Strahm

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Matt Gelb, who covers the Phillies for The Athletic (subscription required) wrote that the Phillies saw the right-hander as expendable due to what he called “growing friction” between him and the team. Gelb wrote that he clashed with coaches and team officials on numerous issues, but had far fewer issues with teammates, in large part due to his performance.

Gelb didn’t elaborate on what the “friction” was. But, after the Phillies lost the NL Division Series, Strahm lobbed criticism at team officials that the pitchers didn’t do enough “PFP,” or pitchers fielding practice. That came after a fielding error made by pitcher Orion Kerkering in the playoffs. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski bristled at the remark.

“We did plenty,” Dombrowski said, “and actually, as it turns out, we did do PFPs in the postseason. He [Strahm] didn’t do them, but we did them.”

It’s possible that criticism was the final straw for the organization’s leadership. Given Strahm’s performance, it’s a risk.

In three seasons with the Phillies, he went 17-10 with a 2.71 ERA in 188 games, including 10 starts. He had 11 saves and 51 holds. He struck out 257 and walked 52 in 212.2 innings. He was an All-Star in 2024 and last season he went 2-3 with a 2.74 ERA in 66 games with six saves. He struck out 70 and walked 20 in 62.1 innings.

Bowlan is coming off a season in which he went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 34 games, with 46 strikeouts and 17 walks in 44.1 innings. But last season has by far his most productive in the Majors, as he’s pitched just 50 innings since he made his MLB debut in 2023.

The Phillies are banking that Bowlan can provide similar results — and won’t have as much to stay about pitchers fielding practice next season.