Phillies left-hander, a key piece of the bullpen, is dealing with shoulder soreness and will be sidelined, according to manager Rob Thomson following Sunday’s 12-2 victory over the Orioles.
He has made two appearances this spring, both of which were rough outings. On February 27 in Clearwater, he gave up a two-run homer to Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe. Then, on Wednesday in Lakeland against the Tigers, he allowed four runs in just two-thirds of an inning. Matt Strahm has already issued three walks, matching his total from last spring over seven appearances.
His velocity has dipped by about three mph on both his four-seam fastball and sinker, dropping from the usual 94 mph range to around 90-92 mph.
The Phillies hope that some rest will help Strahm recover, as this is the ideal time of year to scale back.
“He’s got a bit of a sore shoulder, but nothing serious. We’re just going to give him a few days off,” Thomson said.
Strahm has been a reliable workhorse for the Phillies, even spending the first month of the 2023 season as a starter when needed. Over the past two seasons, he has logged 150⅓ innings and is expected to take on a more prominent role in 2025 as part of the Phillies’ late-inning relief group alongside Jordan Romano, Orion Kerkering, and Jose Alvarado.
For nearly two years, Strahm has been a dependable arm, posting a 2.69 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across 122 appearances while maintaining a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 6:1. He’s been effective against both left-handed and right-handed hitters and has remained healthy, avoiding the injured list entirely since missing significant time in 2021 and dealing with three IL stints in 2022.
Injuries Piling Up in the NL East
The Phillies have mostly avoided major injuries in camp, with only Matt Strahm dealing with a sore shoulder and Weston Wilson sidelined by a Grade 2 oblique strain. However, the Mets and Braves haven’t been as fortunate.
The Mets received tough news on Sunday when starting catcher Francisco Alvarez was diagnosed with a fractured left hand, sidelining him for 6 to 8 weeks. This leaves them with just Luis Torrens and a group of non-roster invitees behind the plate. Alvarez, who hit 25 home runs in 2023, was one of the few bright spots for the Mets in the first half of last season, batting .296 with an .844 OPS before the All-Star break.
Additionally, outfielder Brandon Nimmo has been out of action with knee inflammation and recently received a gel injection.
The Mets’ pitching staff has also taken a hit, with starters Sean Manaea (oblique strain) and Frankie Montas (lat strain) both expected to miss the start of the season.
The Braves are dealing with their own catching dilemma, as starter Sean Murphy is set to miss 4 to 6 weeks after suffering a cracked left rib from a hit by pitch. Unlike previous years, Travis d’Arnaud is no longer available as a backup option.
In the outfield, newly signed left fielder Jurickson Profar is nursing a bone bruise on his left wrist from a sliding catch. The Braves are hopeful he will be ready for Opening Day after inking him to a three-year, $42 million deal in January.
These injuries are a stark reminder that staying healthy is the top priority during spring training.