While speaking with reporters before Wednesday’s game against the Dodgers, Rob Thomson hinted at the possibility of the Phillies hastening Matt Strahm’s eventual move to the bullpen.
Thomson confirmed the move on Friday. He could be available out of the bullpen as soon as Saturday.
“It has nothing to do with the fact that he hasn’t pitched well, because he has pitched well,” Thomson said on Friday. “He hasn’t had many innings in the last couple years. We don’t want him to break.”
In six starts out of the rotation, Strahm pitched to a 3.51 ERA across 25 2/3 innings.
It was a role Strahm was never going to occupy in the long run. The lefty threw a total of 44 2/3 innings in 2022 as a reliever with the Boston Red Sox. He only eclipsed 100 innings pitched once in his career in 2019. Strahm missed most of the 2021 season after undergoing patellar tendon surgery on his right knee at the end of 2020. He also missed a month last season with a wrist injury.
Thomson hinted that the Phillies could use Strahm in multiple roles, including one inning high-leverage relief or four innings for length. Suárez will be close to fully stretched out when he returns, but it’s possible the Phillies could use Strahm as a piggyback in Suárez’s first start, depending on how Thomson uses Strahm in the days leading up to Suárez’s first outing.
The sliver lining is that Ranger Suárez is expected to return quicker than expected. His next rehab outing is scheduled for Sunday in Syracuse with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He’ll throw around 65 pitches over four innings.
If all goes well, Suárez is lined up to pitch as early as next Friday against the Colorado Rockies. Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler will pitch on normal rest on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively against the Toronto Blue Jays.
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