One of the more active clubs so far this offseason is the Philadelphia Phillies. This summer, they have addressed roster problems with the additions of Brad Keller, Adolis Garcia, and Kyle Schwarber.
However, they also lost lefty Matt Strahm, a crucial component of the bullpen. The Phillies are letting go of the $7.5 million reliever after sending him back to the Kansas City Royals. What did the Phillies receive in exchange for Strahm, though?
Jonathan Bowlan is an intriguing five-pitch mix reliever with a long-term contract, as Luke Arcaini of Crossing Broad noted on Twitter/X.
Phillies’ return for Matt Strahm is righty reliever with 5-pitch mix, six-year contract
“Jonathan Bowlan’s a 5-pitch mix reliever that some believe can be a starter.” Arcaini made a post. “In his first Major League season in 2025, he recorded a 3.86 ERA with a 24.6 K%. Oh, and his contract is controlled by the Phillies till 2032.
To begin with, Strahm’s contract was only for the 2026 season. The Phillies will also pay Bowlan far less than his $7.5 million contract.
However, the Phillies have custody over the new right-hander they acquired in exchange for Strahm until the 2031 MLB season. In other words, assuming all goes according to plan and Bowlan stays on the team, the Phillies will have him for six years.
The skill set that Bowlan is bringing to the Phillies is just as significant as the terms of his contract. In his maiden Major League Baseball season in 2025, the five-pitch pitcher had a respectable ERA and good strikeout totals.
There are five pitches available to the 29-year-old righty. Bowlan’s five-pitch mix consists of a four-seam fastball, a slider, a sinker, a changeup, and a curveball, as @RedsInFour revealed on Twitter/X.
While the return for Strahm isn’t a top prospect or an MLB-ready talent who can make an immediate impact for the Phillies, Bowlan’s metrics paint an intriguing picture.
He has a decent selection of pitches to work with, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is solid, and his whiff rate is also in a good spot. The jury is still out on how Bowlan can develop, but the current setup means there’s some intriguing potential here.
Despite this Matt Strahm trade seeming like a salary dump, the Phillies were able to land a pitcher who could turn into a solid bullpen arm for the Phillies.
The fact that Bowlan is inexpensive, has a six-year contract, and has some intriguing pitches the Phillies can use is what matters most about him.
Although he won’t be as good as Strahm, the Phillies may be able to add more outside assistance this winter because to the money that was freed up. As the return in the Strahm trade, Bowlan is an intriguing acquisition and has the potential to be a valuable addition to the bullpen for many years to come.
