Red Sox miss out on perfect bullpen reunion after Phillies-Royals trade

The Boston Red Sox have dominated the trade market in the first months of the offseason, making pitching moves big and small. Among those moves, the Red Sox traded three relievers in one day to open roster spots for Rule 5 Draft-eligible players.

Two of the three pitchers the Sox traded were lefties, and fellow southpaws Justin Wilson and Steven Matz entered free agency this winter. Boston has a surplus of young starting pitching depth in its organization, but it will have to look to the free agent and trade markets to add experience to its bullpen.

In MLB insider Jeff Passan’s December 18 offseason temperature check, he noted that relievers have been some of the biggest winners on the market this year, especially Devin Williams and Edwin Diaz, who both signed three year deals with big money clubs. The Red Sox haven’t yet flexed as a big spender, and it seems unlikely they’ll do it first on the relief market, especially since they haven’t made any notable additions to the offense. Another trade could’ve been on the table until December 19.

The Philadelphia Phillies traded former Red Sox pitcher Matt Strahm to the Kansas City Royals, first reported by insider Robert Murray of FanSided. Passan predicted that Strahm could be traded this winter and tabbed him as the best lefty reliever on the market. Boston has more than enough prospect depth to have traded for Strahm, who is under contract for one year at $7.5 million.

Red Sox missed out on potential reunion with Matt Strahm after Phillies trade him to Royals

Strahm, a 10-year MLB veteran, has been a Philly for the last three seasons. He pitched one season for Boston in 2022. The lefty made 50 appearances out of the bullpen for the Sox and posted a 3.83 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 17 walks over 44.2 innings.

Strahm has been a horse for Philadelphia since his tenure with the club began. He’s posted at least 62 innings of work in each of his three seasons there, and even started 10 games in 2023. He’s logged a 2.71 ERA, a 0.955 WHIP and 257 strikeouts over his 212.2 innings with the Phillies.

The back of the Red Sox’s bullpen is already stacked, with Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock being one of the deadliest relief duos in the American League, if not all of MLB last season. Adding Strahm into the mix would’ve made the Sox’s already dominant bullpen even better. He didn’t cost the Royals much in the trade given his age and the single year remaining on his contract — they sent 28-year-old reliever Jonathan Bowlan over in the trade, and the Red Sox could’ve matched that in prospect or starting pitching depth.

If Boston doesn’t love any of the remaining relievers on the market, of which there aren’t many in the top tier, it should’ve taken the leap for Strahm. But the Red Sox will have to keep looking to replenish the lefty arms they lost in November.