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Jonathan Bowlan: The Philadelphia Phillies have made another change to their relief corps. The club dealt left-handed pitcher Matt Strahm to the Kansas City Royals.
Right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan is headed to Philadelphia as part of the exchange. Team officials confirmed the trade shortly after it was completed.
The move signals the Phillies’ continued focus on reworking their bullpen depth and balance. The decision came shortly after new reporting shed light on Philadelphia’s plans.
ESPN insider Jeff Passan reported a day earlier that the Phillies were expected to trade Matt Strahm.
The move followed the club’s internal review of bullpen depth after the signing of Brad Keller.
Jonathan Bowlan now joins Philadelphia with solid Major League experience. The 29-year-old has pitched across three seasons at the big league level.
Most of his work has come in relief roles. In the 2025 season, Bowlan made 34 appearances. He posted a 3.86 ERA.
Bowlan recorded 46 strikeouts in 44 and one-third innings. Jonathan Bowlan adds size and power to Philadelphia’s relief staff.
The right-hander measures 6-foot-6 and weighs 240 pounds. He operates with a diverse five-pitch repertoire.
The mix closely resembles that of Brad Keller, whom the Phillies added earlier. Bowlan primarily attacks hitters with a fastball and slider.
He did not throw enough innings to appear on full Baseball Savant leaderboards. Even so, his underlying metrics were notable.
His average fastball velocity reached 95.7 miles per hour. That mark placed him in the 72nd percentile across the league.
Tracking data showed above-average results in swing-and-miss rate. He also performed well in the chase rate.
Opponents produced limited hard contact. His average exit velocity allowed ranked better than league norms.
Jonathan Bowlan arrived in professional baseball with considerable expectations. The right-hander, who is from Tennessee, was once a highly rated prospect in the Kansas City organization.
MLB.com placed him within the Royals’ top 10 prospect rankings for three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2022.
Bowlan is still several years away from arbitration eligibility. He will not reach that status until 2028.
The pitcher no longer has Minor League options remaining. He is also under team control through the 2032 season.
Matt Strahm’s tenure in Philadelphia comes to a close following the trade. The left-handed reliever delivered three strong seasons with the Phillies. He was set to enter the final year of his contract.
Strahm was due to earn $7.5 million during the 2026 season. In 2025, he appeared in 66 games out of the bullpen. He finished the year with a 2.74 ERA.
Over that span, Strahm emerged as one of the most consistent and trusted left-handed relievers in the majors.
The deal further alters the makeup of Philadelphia’s bullpen. The Phillies now have two left-handed relievers on the roster.
Those options are Tanner Banks and José Alvarado. Around the league, some speculation had suggested Matt Strahm could be moved if the club was unable to bring back catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Beyond that scenario, the trade opens additional salary space. That flexibility gives Philadelphia room to consider another move as the offseason continues.
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