The Philadelphia Phillies have traded pitcher Matt Strahm to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jonathan Bowlan. This announcement was made by the Phillies on the morning of October 13, 2025. Strahm, who has become a fan favorite during his time in Philadelphia, will be moving back to the team that originally drafted him.
Strahm, 34, has had a solid three-season tenure with the Phillies from 2023 to 2025. In a total of 188 games, including 10 starts, he achieved a record of 17 wins and 10 losses with an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 2.71, allowing 64 earned runs over 212.2 innings pitched. A native of West Fargo, North Dakota, he signed with the Phillies as a free agent on December 9, 2022 after being selected by the Royals in the 21st round of the 2012 MLB Draft.
Bowlan, now 29, has shown promise during his time in Kansas City. He pitched in a career-high 34 games, including one start, in 2025. During this season, Bowlan maintained a 3.86 ERA, allowing 19 earned runs over 44.1 innings, with a WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) of 1.22. His strikeout rate, at 25.6%, ranked 13th among American League rookies, striking out 46 batters out of 180 faced.
Bowlan’s Performance Highlights
Bowlan excelled against right-handed hitters, holding them to a .182/.255/.250 slash line. This statistic placed him second among all major league rookies in opponent batting average, just behind Isaac Mattson of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had an average of .155. Additionally, Bowlan achieved a ground ball rate of 49.1%, ranking third among American League rookie relievers.
The right-hander earned his first major league win on May 21, 2025, during 1.1 innings of relief work against the San Francisco Giants. He also had a standout moment with a career-high scoreless streak of 10.2 innings, during which he struck out 14 batters without allowing a hit, spanning from July 30 to September 8, 2025.
Bowlan’s performance with the Royals further showcased his capabilities. He threw 126 sinkers throughout the season, limiting opponents to a .161 slugging percentage and achieving a hard-hit rate of just 10.7%. Among the 296 pitchers who threw at least 100 sinkers last season, Bowlan ranked second in opponent slugging percentage, trailing only Brad Keller, and third in hard-hit rate.
In addition to his major league appearances, Bowlan spent time with Triple-A Omaha, where he recorded a perfect 3-0 record with a 2.25 ERA, striking out 45 batters while walking 11 over 36 innings pitched. His opponent average at the Triple-A level was an impressive .178.
As the Phillies and Royals finalize this trade, both teams look forward to the potential impact of their new acquisitions. For Strahm, returning to the Royals offers a chance to reconnect with the organization that first recognized his talent, while Bowlan will bring his strong performance metrics to Philadelphia as they seek to strengthen their pitching roster for the upcoming seasons.