In March, there was a two-week stretch where it seemed uncertain whether Matt Strahm would be ready for Opening Day. He was dealing with a shoulder impingement and bone bruise in his left arm, which explained why his fastball velocity had dipped from last season’s 93.6 mph average to just over 91 mph early in spring training.
As a precaution, the Phillies scaled back his workload, and he didn’t appear in Grapefruit League games after March 5. Despite this, Strahm was unexpectedly ready for the March 27 season opener in Washington, D.C., where he pitched a scoreless 10th inning to secure a win.
He didn’t allow a run until his eighth outing of the year, but his recent performance has declined. Over the past month, he’s surrendered six earned runs (eight in total) across 9⅓ innings, with opponents hitting .341 against him—a far cry from the reliable reliever the Phillies have seen since 2023. That year, he thrived in several roles and emerged as one of the league’s top late-inning arms, earning an All-Star selection.
On Monday night, with the game tied in the seventh inning against the red-hot Cardinals, the Phillies turned to Strahm. He quickly retired the first two batters with a strikeout and a lineout but then left a fastball up and over the plate to Masyn Winn, who hit a go-ahead home run on an 0-1 count. The pitch came in at 91 mph. Strahm immediately slapped his glove in frustration, knowing he’d made a costly mistake.
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