Royals Acquire Matt Strahm from Phillies in Trade
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The Kansas City Royals have acquired veteran left-hander Matt Strahm from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for right-hander Jonathan Bowlan. This trade signifies the Royals' intention to bolster their pitching rotation, as noted by general manager J.J.
Picollo, who emphasized the need to address both the bullpen and outfield. Strahm, 34, previously pitched for the Royals and has had a successful run in Philadelphia, earning All-Star honors in 2024 with a 1.87 ERA over 66 appearances.
His addition is part of a busy offseason for the Royals, who have also traded for outfielder Isaac Collins and right-hander Nick Mears, and signed outfielder Lane Thomas and All-Star third baseman Maikel Garcia.
Strahm's contract, which includes a $7.5 million salary for the upcoming season, allows him to become a free agent after the 2026 World Series. Meanwhile, the Phillies are concurrently working on strengthening their pitching staff and exploring options to acquire a catcher, highlighting the dynamic nature of MLB trades as teams prepare for the season ahead.
The Phillies have also finalized a contract with right-hander Brad Keller and traded for left-hander Kyle Backhus, signaling their proactive approach to enhance their roster.