The Philadelphia Phillies locked up their second straight National League East title on Monday night with a wild 6-5 extra inning win before clinching the series (and season series) against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. Yes, the focus might go to the division crown and one of the best games of the season; however, one of the night’s stories came quietly from the bullpen.
Left hander Matt Strahm tossed a scoreless inning, earning the hold, and in the process reached his 60-inning goal. By crossing the 60-inning threshold this season, Strahm officially vested his $7.5 million option for 2026 pending a physical after the season.
Phillies fans should be excited that Matt Strahm will be back after another successful season
Strahm has been one of the steadiest, most underrated arms in the Phillies' bullpen over the past three seasons. He’s posted a 2.73 ERA since arriving, and while he’s mostly worked in relief, he’s also made 10 starts when needed. His 2024 season was the highlight earning his first and only All-Star nod and posting a 1.87 ERA.
This year marks his third straight season with 60+ innings pitched, showing both durability and reliability. And with José Alvarado's future with the Phillies in question as he struggled after coming back from suspension and is now out for the season with a forearm injury. Strahm now steps into the main lefty setup role in high-leverage spots.
From a front office standpoint, this vesting option is about as team-friendly as it gets. At $7.5 million, Strahm’s deal offers major value and won’t restrict Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and company from making other key additions this offseason. It’s a safe bet on someone who’s already proven he can handle the pressure and produce.
Since the All-Star break, Strahm has looked like his old self posting a 1-0 record, 2.05 ERA, 25 strikeouts in 22 innings, and zero blown saves. He has now set a new career high as well with 21 holds on the year. That’s after a rocky first half that included four blown saves and a 3.29 ERA, which did include a little unluckiness to it. The rough start could have also been after a shortened spring training battling injury that almost cost him the option.
Strahm has become the go-to setup man alongside Orion Kerkering, setting the stage for Jhoan Duran to close it down in the ninth. And with the bullpen finally starting to take shape after years of constant change and no set closer, Strahm being back allows that familiarity for next season.
Strahm’s not just eating innings, he’s getting big outs. And with the postseason looming, his role only grows more important. So while the Phillies celebrated a division crown Monday night, there was another reason for fans to be happy about and that is Strahm is back for a fourth year as the back end of the bullpen takes the next step in 2026.