The Kansas City Royals made a key trade on Friday morning to bolster their bullpen. They acquired Matt Strahm from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for reliever Jonathan Bowlan.
Strahm began his career with the Royals in 2016 and was with the team until joining the San Diego Padres in 2018. This past year, the veteran left-hander posted a 2.74 ERA with the Phillies.
This was the first major move the Royals have made on the pitching side. They’ve already added two bats in Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas, but there is more work to be done after the fact.
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What’s Next For Royals?
Addressing the offense has been the main goal for the Royals this offseason, and they added two key bats to their lineup before making the Strahm trade. But they aren’t done just yet.
There is more work to be done for a team that was let down by its lineup and finished in third place in the American League Central. Earlier this week, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Kansas City was still showing interest in adding another outfielder, namely Boston Red Sox star Jarren Duran.
That might take a big haul from Kansas City, but if they are still looking for offensive help, that is likely where they will go next. If they can’t land Duran, then they could target the St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan, who they have been linked to several times this offseason.
They need an upgrade at second base over Jonathan India, and Donovan could fill that role. They also obviously could use more help in the outfield, hence their interest in Duran.
Donovan can play all over the diamond, and could fill that role as well. But a move to acquire one of those two hitters is likely what will come next. The Royals are pushing hard for more offense.
Their pitching staff appears to be in pretty good shape after bringing back Strahm. They can trade from that pitching depth to land Donovan, Duran, or another hitter in a deal.
The Royals’ offseason plans are taking shape, and they already have a strong foundation in place for 2026. Now, they’ll likely look to keep adding to that nucleus and doing everything they can to build a contender.
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