3 pitchers who could be traded if the Phillies fall out of playoff contention

3 Phillies who could be traded. No. 2 - LHP Matt Strahm

Matt Strahm has quietly made himself into a solid pitcher who has the flexibility to function in a variety of different roles. As a matter of fact, the southpaw has served as a middle reliever, long reliever, starter and even closer all in the current campaign.

Strahm, 31, was able to turn a strong 2022 showing into a multi-year contract with the Phillies and the aforementioned versatility has been a huge part of his game. After serving as strictly a relief pitcher in each year from 2020-2022, he expressed a desire to return to the starting rotation. While the Phillies were initially willing to grant him this wish, he made just nine starts before being shuffled back to the bullpen.

It's important to note that Strahm was only squeezed out because of the amount of higher-caliber starters around him, not because he didn't perform. In those nine outings, he had a combined 4.18 ERA with 41 strikeouts and just nine walks in 32.1 innings of work. Since moving back to the bullpen, he has a 4.11 ERA with 19 strikeouts and four walks in 15.1 innings.

What could make Strahm more attractive to teams eyeing bullpen help than Craig Kimbrel is the fact that he's four years younger than Kimbrel is and is under control for an additional season. He would likely command a larger trade package since he is not set to become a free agent until the conclusion of next season, while Kimbrel is a free agent at the end of the current campaign.