Phillies' Matt Strahm: Fires clean eighth inning Saturday
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Strahm threw a clean eighth inning in Saturday's 5-4 loss to San Diego. He struck out two.
Even though Strahm hasn't seen a save chance since June 29, he's been excellent to start July. The veteran left-hander has fanned multiple batters in three of his first four appearances of the month, allowing a lone hit over four scoreless innings so far. It's worth noting Orion Kerkering has stumbled to a 6.23 ERA over his last 4.1 frames, which should give Strahm a leg up in Philadelphia's competition for save opportunities going forward.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Escapes with save
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Strahm allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning while earning a save over Atlanta on Sunday.
Strahm was in charge of finishing off the 2-1 victory and ran into some trouble. However, he forced a Stuart Fairchild flyout with runners on the corners to end the contest. Strahm now has five saves this season, including three since June 14. He owns a 3.78 ERA with a 37:9 K:BB through 33.1 frames. Orion Kerkering tossed a scoreless eighth inning with three strikeouts Sunday, and Jordan Romano did not make an appearance after yielding four runs Saturday.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Notches fourth save
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Strahm gave up a run on three hits in the ninth inning Wednesday to record his fourth save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Marlins. He struck out two.
Orion Kerkering worked a scoreless eighth inning against the top of Miami's order, while Strahm had a little trouble putting away the Marlins' 4-5-6 hitters but ultimately got the job done. The two relievers appear to be manager Rob Thomson's top high-leverage options at the moment, and between them Strahm and Kerkering have collected all three of the Phillies' saves in June. Matchups could be the biggest factor in determining which of them handle closing duties for any particular game, but Strahm will likely need to improve on his current form to stay in the mix -- the southpaw's been scored upon in three of his last four appearances, and over his last 10 games and 9.2 innings he's stumbled to a 6.52 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 9:3 K:BB.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Converts third save
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Strahm earned the save in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Blue Jays, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Strahm was called upon to protect a one-run lead in the ninth and needed just seven pitches to do so. It was notable that the southpaw was used against three right-handed hitters, perhaps a reflection of Jordan Romano allowing runs in three of his past four appearances. On the year, Strahm owns a 3.49 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 33:8 K:BB across 28.1 innings, and he could challenge for the closer role if Romano's struggles persist.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Takes fourth blown save Monday
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Strahm blew the save in Monday's 4-3 extra-innings win over the Cubs after giving up a solo home run and a walk with no strikeouts in the eighth inning.
Strahm was charged with his fourth blown save of the season, and he's now gone a poor 2-for-6 on save opportunities this year. The veteran left-hander has begun to struggle as a setup man in Philadelphia's bullpen, logging a 5.06 ERA and 1.38 WHIP over his last 16 innings. Jordan Romano has been shaky as the Phillies' closer -- he owns a 7.40 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 2025 -- but Strahm's recent performance hasn't helped his case as a potential ninth-inning option.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Second save in extra innings
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Strahm picked up the save in Thursday's 7-6 extra-inning win over the Rays after allowing one unearned run on two hits in the 10th inning. He struck out two.
It was the second save of the year for Strahm, who was brought in to work the 10th frame after closer Jose Alvarado kept the game tied in the ninth. While Strahm began the season with a scoreless streak of 6.1 innings, he has a 4.82 ERA over his last 9.1 frames and has seen just three save chances overall this year. The southpaw is still one of Philadelphia's top left-handed relievers, but Strahm remains behind Alvarado in the bullpen pecking order when it comes to ninth-inning work.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Collects first save of 2025
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Strahm earned the save in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Giants, striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.
Strahm was brought in for the ninth inning of Tuesday's game after usual closer Jose Alvarado was deployed in the eighth frame to preserve the Phillies' lead. Strahm needed only seven pitches (six of which were strikes) to dispatch the Phillies in order, including a three-pitch punchout of Patrick Bailey for the second out. Strahm has opened the season with a 1.23 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 12:2 K:BB across 7.1 innings.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Gives up first run this season
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Strahm gave up one run on one hit in one inning Sunday against St. Louis, striking out three.
Strahm threw 15 of his 19 pitches for strikes but struggled with his command, allowing a Yohel Pozo leadoff double to eventually come around to score following a wild pitch. It was the first run Strahm allowed so far this year, so the southpaw should remain Philadelphia's top left-handed setup man while Jose Alvarado works as the primary closer. Through 7.1 innings, Strahm has yielded only four hits, registered a 12:2 K:BB and tallied three holds.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Throws clean 10th inning in return
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Strahm (shoulder) threw a clean 10th inning with one strikeout in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning win over the Nationals.
Strahm was unable to make his scheduled appearance in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays due left middle fingernail irritation, but he returned to action Thursday to retire the side and safeguard the victory for the Phillies. The veteran southpaw was limited to 1.2 frames during spring training due to a left shoulder impingement, but he bounced back after giving up six runs in two spring appearances. Jordan Romano was charged with a blown save after yielding two runs in the eighth inning Thursday, which could leave the door open for Strahm to see the occasional save chance while Philadelphia's bullpen pecking order is uncertain.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Won't pitch due to fingernail issue
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Strahm (shoulder) will not make a scheduled Grapefruit League appearance Monday versus the Rays due to left middle fingernail irritation, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
The issue is not believed to be serious, and Strahm remains on track to be ready for the Phillies' season opener Thursday versus the Nationals. The left-handed reliever has made just two Grapefruit League appearances this spring due to a shoulder impingement that's caused inflammation, but he's been throwing lately without any problems with the shoulder.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Pitching in minors game Saturday
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Strahm (shoulder) will pitch in a minor-league game Saturday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
If that goes well, he will pitch in the Phillies' Grapefruit League finale Monday, setting him up to be ready to go for Opening Day. Strahm's last game appearance came on March 5, as he's been shelved by a left shoulder impingement that's caused inflammation.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Throwing from 75 feet
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Strahm (shoulder) began playing catch from 75 feet Saturday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Strahm said he no longer has any pain in his left shoulder, and he was cleared to begin throwing after visiting a doctor Saturday. He's set to extend his throwing distance Sunday, but it's still unclear if he'll have enough time to build up to game readiness before Opening Day.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Re-evaluation coming Saturday
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Strahm (shoulder) will be evaluated again by a doctor Saturday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Manager Rob Thomson noted that Strahm is feeling better since being diagnosed with a left shoulder impingement Tuesday, but it appears the Phillies are going to postpone his throwing program another couple of days. Even if he's cleared to resume throwing this weekend, the fact he's been shut down for nearly a week could still affect his availability for Opening Day.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Uncertain for Opening Day
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Strahm will be shut down until at least Thursday and is uncertain for Opening Day due to an impingement in his left shoulder that's caused inflammation, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
The good news is an MRI on Strahm's shoulder came back negative. He will be re-examined Thursday by the Phillies team doctor, at which point it will be determined whether he's able to resume a throwing program. The Phillies should have a good idea at that time whether Strahm will have a chance to be ready in time for Opening Day. The southpaw was one of the best relievers in baseball last season, collecting a 1.87 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 79:11 K:BB over 62.2 regular-season frames.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Managing sore shoulder
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Manager Rob Thomson said Sunday that Strahm is dealing with a bit of left shoulder soreness and that the club will "back him off for a few days," Paul Casella of MLB.com reports.
Strahm's last Grapefruit League action came Wednesday, and he showcased some diminished velocity while giving up four runs across two-thirds of an inning. Thomson indicated that medical imaging came back clean, so the left-hander could be back on the mound in the near future.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Roughed up in spring outing
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Strahm recorded two outs in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers, giving up four runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one.
While Jordan Romano is the early favorite for saves after signing in December, the situation isn't fully settled given Philadelphia's propensity to mix-and-match the ninth inning. Strahm has now allowed six runs in 1.2 frames this spring, which isn't going to help his cause as a candidate for ninth-inning work as he looks to cement his status as Philadelphia's top left-handed bullpen option over Jose Alvarado. Strahm is still likely to begin the campaign as a high-leverage arm after boasting a 1.87 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 79:11 K:BB over 62.2 frames a year ago, and he could be worth a late-round flier given his strikeout upside, especially in leagues that count holds.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Slams door on Marlins
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Strahm picked up the save Thursday, tossing a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout against the Marlins.
Strahm needed just 10 pitches to lock down his second save in three games and third of the season, getting the call Thursday with a couple of lefties due up for the Marlins. For the season, he maintains a 2.14 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with 69 strikeouts through 54.2 innings.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Collects second save
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Strahm struck out two and gave up a solo home run to Leo Jimenez in the ninth inning Tuesday to record his second save of the season in a 10-9 win over the Blue Jays.
Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman have each seen a heavy workload lately, while Jose Alvarado and Orion Kerkering had been called upon earlier in the night, so closing duties fell to Strahm. Since the beginning of August, the southpaw has a 1.42 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB through 12.2 innings while collecting one save, two wins and five holds in 13 appearances, but the Phillies' wealth of high-leverage options won't afford Strahm many more save chances down the stretch.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Nabs extension
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Strahm signed a one-year extension with the Phillies on Sunday that includes a club option or vesting option for the 2026 season.
Strahm is entering the second season of the two-year, $15 million deal he signed with Philadelphia in December 2022, but he won't reach free agency next offseason after he and the Phillies agreed to tack on another year to his deal. According to Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Strahm will earn $7.5 million in 2025 as part of the extension, while the option for 2026 vests for $7.5 million if he covers at least 60 innings in 2025. After making nine of his first 18 appearances as a starter last season, the 32-year-old transitioned into a full-time relief role in mid-June and posted a 2.53 ERA and 52:8 K:BB over his final 42.2 innings. He'll be trusted to serve as a high-leverage, multi-inning arm out of the Philadelphia bullpen once again during the upcoming season.
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Phillies' Matt Strahm: Secures first postseason save
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Strahm pitched a scoreless inning to close out the save in Thursday's 3-1 win over Atlanta in Game 4 of the NLDS. He struck out one.
Strahm was called into the game in an nontraditional spot -- the team has been relying on Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning during the postseason, but Kimbrel was needed earlier in the game against Atlanta's key right-handers. Strahm took over for Gregory Soto with runners on first and third, but the added pressure was no issue, as Strahm put away the side to earn his first career save in the postseason. For his playoff career, the southpaw has a 5.79 ERA and 2.57 WHIP with three strikeouts across 4.2 innings. He will once again be a key part of the bullpen against the Diamondbacks in the NLCS next week.
