The Philadelphia Phillies surprised a lot of people with one of the offseason moves the team made.
Left-handed relief pitcher Matt Strahm was traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for the unproven Jonathan Bowlan . It left plenty of people scratching their heads because Strahm had been so good for the Phillies over the last few years.
Signed as a free agent before the 2023 campaign, he was dominant out of the Philadelphia bullpen. In 2024, he made the All-Star team as an elite setup man, and he recorded a bWAR of at least 2.0 every season with the Phillies.
Trading him created a sizable void in the bullpen, with Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks as the only Major League lefties. However, the decision to move on from Strahm could not have come at a better time, with Philadelphia being major winners in this trade.
Jul 7, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Matt Strahm (25) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The veteran lefty has struggled mightily with the Royals in 2026. In 35 appearances and 31.1 innings, he has produced a 7.18 ERA and -1.0 bWAR. This is a far cry from the dominance he showed with the Phillies, where he produced a 2.71 ERA across three years in 212.2 innings with 6.8 bWAR.
While Strahm has proven unreliable for Kansas City , with an ERA+ of 58 and FIP of 6.67, both being the worst single-season marks for him in a season he appeared in double-digit games, Bowlan has taken his game to another level.
He has been a reliable arm out of the Philadelphia bullpen all season. Now with Brad Keller sidelined because of a UCL injury, Bowlan is going to find himself even higher in the pecking order for late-game and high-leverage situations.
Jul 9, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jonathan Bowlan (52) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the eighth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It is something he certainly looks ready and capable of handling. Through 34 appearances and 31.2 innings pitched, he has a stellar 2.84 ERA, a 160 ERA+ and 2.47 FIP with 38 strikeouts and a 0.8 bWAR.
In what could be categorized as a salary dump by the Phillies in the offseason, moving Strahm's $7.5 million contract for Bowlan, who is making $785,000 in a pre-arbitration deal, was already viewed as a win for the franchise. Now, it is a clear landslide victory because Philadelphia is also receiving better production.
Not arbitration eligible until after the 2029 season and under team control through 2031, Bowlan looks like a long-term building block in the Phillies bullpen. He has successfully built off a strong 2025 campaign with the Royals, helping upgrade the relief staff in front of closer Jhoan Duran .
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/phillies/onsi as Phillies Have Been Massive Winners in Offseason Trade With Royals .
