The Philadelphia Phillies are hoping for better results with virtually the same roster as last season, but it now appears they could be without a critical piece to start the campaign.
The Phillies made one key addition to the bullpen after losing both Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman to new teams in free agency by bringing in Jordan Romano. Otherwise, the relief corps is largely composed of returns from last year, including reigning All-Star selection Matt Strahm.
Strahm was a critical presence in the Phillies’ closer-by-committee bullpen in 2024, maintaining a 1.87 ERA across 62.2 innings. But after a shoulder injury popped up in spring training, he’s now in danger of missing the start of the 2025 season.
“Matt Strahm said an impingement in his left shoulder has caused inflammation, but an MRI exam revealed no structural damage,” MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reported. “Can’t say if he’ll be ready for Opening Day or not. Wants to be smart about it.”
Strahm has struggled in his two spring training outings with a marked loss of velocity. Manager Rob Thomson told reporters that he was experiencing some shoulder soreness over the weekend and will be shut down as the team evaluates the situation.
He will not throw again until later this week when a team doctor evaluates, per Zolecki.
The Phillies will be hoping for a quick recovery, though, as Strahm was set for an even bigger role in 2025 as the team looks to capitalize on a rapidly-closing World Series window.
“He has been a workhorse reliever for the Phillies, spending his first month in 2023 as a starter out of necessity and totaling 150 ⅓ innings across two seasons,” per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “He will be pushed into an even more important role in 2025 as part of the Phils’ late-inning formula with Jordan Romano, Orion Kerkering and Jose Alvarado.”
But as long as Strahm is able to bounce back after some extended rest, the team can remain more focused on the playoffs than it is on Opening Day.
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Peter Chawaga is a veteran journalist covering Major League Baseball for The Sporting News. His MLB reporting has included feature interviews with commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame slugger David Ortiz, salary analysis, player rankings and more. He has covered baseball for Forbes, Yardbarker, Pitcher List, Athlon and other outlets.
With over ten years of newsroom experience, he has previously covered finance, technology, arts, and culture for newspapers, magazines, and websites nationwide. He graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in English and journalism.
