Phillies fielding 'steady' trade interest in trio of left-handed relievers

Matt Sullivan

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Phillies fielding 'steady' trade interest in trio of left-handed relievers image

The Philadelphia Phillies are likely going to be one of the more active teams this winter. Whether it's in free agency or the trade market, Philadelphia has a lot of work to do with the roster.

While Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos have drawn the most speculation as players the Phillies could trade from the MLB roster, there are a couple of others who could be on the move.

According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies are fielding "steady" interest in their left-handed relievers. Matt Strahm, Jose Alvarado, and Tanner Banks are all drawing interest, but will the Phillies move one of them?

Phillies drawing trade interest in trio of lefty relievers

"The Phillies have fielded steady interest in all three of their left-handed relievers since the offseason began, major-league sources said," Gelb reports, "and it could nudge them toward a trade."

Of the three Phillies left-handed relievers, Strahm is the most noteworthy who could be moved. During the 2025 season, Strahm had his $7.5 million option vested, and he's been the most consistent of the Phillies' relievers.

The 33-year-old reliever had a 2.74 ERA in 2025 across 66 games. He struck out 70 batters and walked 20 in 62.1 innings pitched. In the playoffs, he had a 3.86 ERA in three appearances.

Alvarado is making $9 million in 2026 and is coming off a PED-suspension-shortened season. He pitched in just 28 games with a 3.81 ERA, 32 strikeouts, seven walks, and a 117 ERA+ across 26 innings pitched.

Banks is set to make $1 million in his first year of arbitration and is coming off a strong 2025 campaign. He's the reliever with the most years of control, as he's under contract through the 2028 season.

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He is 33 years old like Strahm, and had a 3.07 ERA and a 6-2 record in 2205. Across 69 games and 67.1 innings pitched, Banks had 61 strikeouts and 12 walks with nine home runs.

His 144 ERA+ was by far the best of his MLB career, and since being acquired in 2024 from the Chicago White Sox, Banks has been a strong asset out of the bullpen for the Phillies.

With both Alvarado and Strahm free agents after 2026, either could be traded in an effort to shake up the bullpen. The left-handed reliever market is barren, making the trio of Phillies lefties very appealing trade targets.

Any of the three could be traded, but the Phillies will likely hold onto two to retain a lefty presence in the bullpen. But, Phillies fans shouldn't be surprised if one of these left-handed relievers is traded this winter.

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Contributing Writer