How Phillies' Matt Strahm secured $7.5 million with scoreless Dodgers outing

Matt Sullivan

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How Phillies' Matt Strahm secured $7.5 million with scoreless Dodgers outing image

The Philadelphia Phillies went back and forth against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night in a wild game that saw the Phillies officially clinch the National League East and put themselves in great shape to earn a first-round bye.

Bryce Harper, JT Realmuto, Ranger Suarez, Weston Wilson, and David Robertson were the stars of the show for the Phillies, but one other Phillies player had a big night.

Matt Strahm, a left-handed reliever, had a big night. Not only did he throw a scoreless eighth inning against the Dodgers, earning a hold, but he also secured $7.5 million with his outing. But how did Strahm earn so much from one outing?

How did Matt Strahm secure $7.5 million from his scoreless Dodgers outing?

As Mett Gelb of The Athletic reported, Strahm's scoreless eighth inning had the Phillies southpaw reach 60 innings pitched on the year, which vested his $7.5 million option for 2026. Pending an end-of-season physical, Strahm will be back in Philadelphia in 2026 on a $7.5 million contract.

A "Vesting Option" is a contract option that is used to guarantee a player's salary if they reach a certain statistical threshold. In Strahm's case, if he reached 60 innings pitched in 2025, his contract option would vest, and he'd be guaranteed to make $7.5 million in 2026.

His $7.5 million option is well worth it for the Phillies, especially if he produces at this level in his age-34 season in 2026. 

This season, Strahm has pitched 60.1 innings with the Phillies to the tune of a 2.83 ERA. He has two wins, three losses, six saves, and 21 holds with 69 strikeouts in 2025.

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With Jhoan Duran in town, Strahm won't be the team's closer, but his role is huge. He's been instrumental in the team's success over the last few years, and in 2025, he's been amazing. 

The Phillies signed Strahm as a free agent after 2022, and since then, he's been a great option for the team as a versatile bullpen piece. In 2023, he even had a few starts, further proving his value as a chess piece in the bullpen.

With his scoreless outing against the Dodgers, where he struck out two batters and didn't allow a baserunner, Strahm vested his 2026 option for $7.5 million. The Phillies' lefty will be back in 2026, and his contract is guaranteed as long as he passes a physical.

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Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. Matt is a native of Pennsylvania and has worked with Athlon Sports, Last Word on Sports, and other outlets.