Phillies Have Been Massive Winners in Offseason Trade With Royals

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.

Phillies won offseason trade with Royals

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.

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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.

Jonathan Bowlan has outproduced Matt Strahm

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jonathan Bowlan (52) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds. — 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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