The Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen will look different in 2026. The team signed right-hander Brad Keller to a two-year deal, and two days later traded left-hander Matt Strahm to the Kansas City Royals for right-hander Jonathan Bowlan.
The Phillies weren’t done there. A few hours after shipping Strahm off to the Royals, the reigning NL East champions traded minor league outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu to the Arizona Diamondbacks for left-handed sidearmer Kyle Backhus.
It remains to be seen how exactly the Phillies’ bullpen will look, but they’re hoping it will perform at a much higher level than it did in 2025.
Phillies may not be done adding to 2026 bullpen with Pete Fairbanks still available
Although his name had been in trade rumors, the Strahm trade feels hard to justify. A trade should’ve been expected after ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Phillies were “likely” to move on from Strahm, but the return seems underwhelming.
Bowlan had a solid year out of the Royals’ bullpen in 2025, and he’s under club control through 2031. Strahm, however, was an All-Star in 2024 and owned an impressive 2.71 ERA across his three seasons with the Phillies.
The Phillies likely traded Strahm to free up some money this offseason. The 34-year-old was set to make $7.5 million in 2026, whereas Bowlan will make $820,000.
The Phillies may have their eyes on another bullpen piece who’s still available in free agency. Veteran right-hander Pete Fairbanks is one of the top options remaining and could be a difference-maker in the Phillies’ quest for a World Series championship.
Fairbanks had been with the Tampa Bay Rays since being traded to the team during the 2019 season from the Texas Rangers. He’s been a reliable late-inning, high-leverage reliever for the Rays, particularly over the last three seasons.
Fairbanks has had a sub-3.00 ERA in two of the previous three seasons and has accumulated 75 saves since 2023. The recently turned 32-year-old owned a 2.83 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP, 59 strikeouts and 27 saves in 60 1/3 innings pitched in 2025.
The Phillies had been linked to Fairbanks as a trade candidate in the past and could be making room to sign the veteran reliever this offseason. It won’t come cheap, but if the Phillies can swing a deal with Fairbanks, then the bullpen will go from a major weakness in 2025 to a strength this upcoming season.