Matt Strahm Dealing With Finger Injury, Expected To Be Ready For Opening Day
Philadelphia Phillies left-handed reliever Matt Strahm (finger) was scheduled to pitch in the team's Grapefruit League game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, but he was scratched du to left middle fingernail irritation after packing in the morning. The issue isn't believed to be serious, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, and Strahm is still expected to make the Opening Day roster. The 33-year-old veteran has also dealt with inflammation in his left shoulder this spring, which has limited him to only two spring training appearances. Despite the lack of action in Grapefruit League games due to his balky shoulder, that also isn't enough of a concern for the Phillies to keep him off the Opening Day roster. However, Strahm could see more rest between outings than usual to open the regular season. He made his first All-Star squad in 2024 and is the team's top high-leverage lefty arm out of the bullpen.
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Matt Strahm (shoulder) is scheduled to throw in a minor-league game on Saturday. If that goes well, Strahm would hopefully be cleared to pitch during Monday's spring training contest. The organization is hopeful that Strahm will be ready to go in time for Opening Day. The veteran southpaw is coming off an excellent season with the Phillies last season. He registered a 1.87 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 79/11 K/BB ratio across 66 games with Philly. The 33-year-old is expected to immediately slide into high-leverage spots in the Phillies bullpen.
Philadelphia Phillies left-handed pitcher Matt Strahm (shoulder) will be re-evaluated on Saturday. Manager Rob Thompson noted that he is feeling better. Strahm has been dealing with an impingement in his left shoulder and could be in danger of missing Opening Day. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the team will likely provide clarity on his status after his evaluation on Saturday. Last season, the southpaw was one of the most reliable arms in the Philadelphia bullpen as he held a strong 1.87 ERA with a 0.75 WHIP across 62 2/3 innings. He tallied 79 punchouts and had elite control, serving up walks at a 4.6 percent rate. He tallied three saves and 18 holds. If Strahm were to miss time, fantasy managers should expect Orion Kerkering and Jose Alvarado to be deployed primarily as the setup options.
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Matt Strahm (shoulder) is dealing with soreness in his shoulder. He has not taken the mound since Wednesday and his velocity was slightly down. The southpaw went for testing, the results came back clean. Manager Rob Thompson noted that there is "nothing wrong" and the team will give him a few days off. Last season, the 33-year-old was one of the top pieces in the Philadelphia bullpen. He tallied 18 holds and three saves operating as both an option in the eighth and ninth innings. Across 62 2/3 innings, the 33-year-old posted a 1.87 ERA with a 0.75 WHIP with 79 punchouts. Strahm generated a stellar 2.43 xERA (99th percentile) and a .188 xBA (96th percentile). When healthy, he will return to a high-leverage role, likely operating as the setup man for Jordan Romano.
Philadelphia Phillies left-handed reliever Matt Strahm was called upon to close the door on the division-rival Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Thursday night and he got the job done, pitching a scoreless and hitless inning with one strikeout for his first career postseason save. The Phillies used primary closer Craig Kimbrel in the eighth inning for the hold against the Braves best hitters. Strahm hasn't been great in his career in the playoffs dating back to 2020, but he's been excellent for the Phillies so far this year in three relief appearances, going 2 1/3 shutout innings while allowing two hits, walking one and striking out one. It's unlikely he'll be in line for another save chance the rest of the way as Philly heads into the NLCS against the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks.
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Matt Strahm is taking the hill to start Tuesday's matchup with Ryne Nelson and the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. The versatile pitcher began 2023 in the rotation but moved to the bullpen following his May 2 start. Strahm's pitched to excellent numbers, posting a 2.73 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 36.2% strikeout rate, and 7.7% walk rate with four wins and a save. The Phillies don't expect the 31-year-old to pitch far into the game, as Dylan Covey is scheduled to get the bulk of the innings in relief. Since Strahm's exit from the rotation, his fantasy value has been very limited, and it should remain that way unless he finds himself back as a regular starting pitcher.
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Matt Strahm recorded his first save of the season on Sunday, pitching two scoreless innings in a 6-1 win over the Boston Red Sox. The lefty came into this one with a 4-1 lead, and when the Phillies added runs, they let Strahm finish it. This was his first relief appearance since being removed from the starting rotation after his last start, and the good news is that the Phillies seem to want to use him in high-leverage situations. They haven't gotten great pitching from their high-leverage arms, so Strahm could see his share of holds and even the occasional save or two if he continues to pitch well, making him an option in save-plus-holds leagues.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm tossed a gem in a winning effort over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday afternoon. The left-hander worked 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball while allowing just two hits and zero walks against five strikeouts on the afternoon. He evened his season record to 2-2 despite receiving just one run of support in a tight 1-0 victory over the visiting Mariners. Strahm had yielded six earned runs on the back of two homers and five walks across eight innings over his last two starts despite striking out a hefty 17 batters in that time. The southpaw lowered his ERA to a tidy 2.31 mark following Thursday's outing as he looks to keep up the good work in his next scheduled start Tuesday in Los Angeles against a tough Dodgers lineup.
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Matt Strahm took the loss Thursday when the Colorado Rockies defeated his club 5-0. The 31-year-old gave up three runs over 5.1 innings while walking two. But fantasy managers have to be impressed with his start, as Strahm punched out 11 batters during the contest. He now owns a 3.00 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 38.0% strikeout rate, and a 9.9% walk rate across four starts. It's Strahm's first year as a starting pitcher since 2019 when he started 16 games with the San Diego Padres. It isn't certain who'll be the odd man out once Ranger Suarez (forearm) returns, but for now, the former 21st-round draft pick is a must roster.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm will begin the season as the fifth starter, according to manager Rob Thompson. It was reported earlier in the spring that Strahm was going to be a multi-inning reliever this season. However, the injury to Ranger Suarez (forearm) has changed the Phillies plans for Strahm. He's expected to throw around 65-70 pitches during his first outing as a starter. The expectation is that Strahm will head back to the bullpen once Suarez is back. It's unlikely that Strahm pitches deep into games considering he's not stretched out to start. He'll be a risky streaming option in his first start against the New York Yankees.
Matt Strahm
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