The Philadelphia Phillies bullpen might see a shakeup come 2026 as the team could consider trading a former All-Star.
With the Phillies picking up Jose Alvarado’s $9 million option for next season, despite the hard-throwing lefty sitting 80 games in 2025 due to a PED suspension, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports the team might consider trading 2024 All-Star Matt Strahm.
“Retaining Alvarado does not guarantee the Phillies enter next season with the same late-inning mix they deployed in 2025. They will have a full season of Jhoan Duran as the closer, which will allow Thomson to pitch Alvarado in different spots,” Gelb reports. “They could return Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm to setup roles, although the Phillies could shop Strahm this winter if they are comfortable with Alvarado and Tanner Banks as their primary lefty relievers.”
Strahm’s Declining Performance Makes Him Trade Candidate
Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Gelb points out that the Phillies bullpen lacked swing-and-miss stuff as they ranked 28th in baseball in whiff rate. Strahm’s whiff percentage was a mediocre 23.8%, which was in the 37th percentile, while his 92.3 mph fastball velocity ranked in the 20th percentile.
Strahm’s numbers declined in 2025 following his 2024 All-Star campaign. His ERA (1.87 to 2.74), WHIP (0.750 to 1.075), walks (11 to 20), hits per nine (5.2 to 6.8) and walks per nine (1.6 to 2.9) all rose, while strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.18 to 3.50), strikeouts per nine (11.3 to 10.1), strikeouts (79 to 70) and ERA+ (225 to 161) fell.
Strahm also gave up a crushing three-run home run to Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez in Game 1 of the NLDS in the Phillies’ 5-3 loss.
Strahm’s $7.5 million vesting option for next season became guaranteed after he pitched 60 innings in 2025.
In 10 seasons with the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox and Phillies, Strahm has a 34-38 record with a 3.36 ERA, 15 saves, 126 ERA+, 3.56 FIP and 1.104 WHIP.
Matt Higgins worked in national and local news for 15 years. He started out as an overnight production assistant … More about Matt Higgins