It turns out that all of the rumors surrounding a potential trade of Matt Strahm were not just smoke, but actual fire. The Phillies announced Friday morning that they had dealt Strahm to the Kansas City Royals and will receive right-hander Jonathan Bowlan in return.

The 34-year-old Strahm has made 66 relief appearances for the Phillies in each of the past two seasons and was an all-star in 2024 when he posted a 1.87 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 66.2 innings. While his ERA was higher in 2025 (2.74), many of his other stats were similar. He pitched 62.1 innings and struck out 70. A big difference was in his walk percentage which moved from 4.6 in 2024 up to 7.8 last season. Opponents hit just .166 in 2024 and .208 last season, still a solid number.

His 2025 numbers made the club option for 2026 guaranteed when he reached the 60 inning mark. The initial club option money was also affected by his numbers. It originally was $4.5-million, but jumped to $7.5-million after he received a $1-million bump each time he reached 40, 50, and 60 innings last season. Strahm is a free agent following the 2026 season.

The Phillies didn’t just get salary relief in the deal, they received a younger (29) right-handed reliever who isn’t even arbitration eligible until 2029. Bowlan made his major league debut in 2023 as a September call-up, but pitched in just two games and added one appearance in 2024. Last season, Bowlan pitched in 34 games (1 start) for Kansas City and posted a 3.86 ERA over 44.1 innings of work. His walks per nine were a little high at 3.5, with a solid 9.3 K/9 rate.

The Royals drafted Bowlan in the second round of the 2018 Draft out of the University of Memphis. Bowlan will be making the major league minimum of $740-thousand in 2026.

The trade comes on the heels of the Phillies signing right-hander Brad Keller to a two-year, $22-million contract on Wednesday. Strahm was one of three left-handed relievers on the roster – Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks are the other two – so the Phillies felt they had some strength to deal one of the arms to fill another spot.

Philly Baseball News will have a full scouting report on Bowlan as soon as it is available.

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