The Kansas City Royals are absolutely drowning at 38-57 this season, a full 11.5 games back in the AL Central and tied for the league's worst team with the Los Angeles Angels. With that kind of record, it's no shocker they're looking to offload any player hitting free agency this year, and that includes veteran left-handed reliever Matt Strahm. This guy, who's costing them $7.5 million in the final year of his contract, has been tagged a "buy low" trade target by Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly.
From Ace to Ailing Arm: Strahm's Tumultuous Season
Strahm's 2026 numbers are pretty rough, let's be honest. He's rocking a 5.81 ERA and a -0.4 bWAR. Not exactly inspiring confidence, right? But here's the thing that has teams sniffing around: his past. Just last season, Strahm posted a stellar 2.74 ERA across 66 games, and the year before that? A ridiculous 1.87 ERA in another 66 appearances. That's the kind of performance that makes GMs think, "Can we fix him?" Kelly certainly thinks so, writing, "At 34, he may no longer be that guy, but a contending team will bring him in and try to figure it out." The Royals, sitting at 38-57, have zero reason to keep him around and just watch him walk for nothing after the season.The Price of a "Lost" Trade and What Comes Next
To make matters worse for Kansas City, they "lost" the trade that brought Strahm to them from the Philadelphia Phillies. They gave up Jonathan Bowlan for him, and while Strahm has struggled, Bowlan is doing solid work for the Phillies with a 3.14 ERA. This puts the Royals in a tough spot: they need to trade Strahm, even if they have to sell low. Getting *anything* for him is better than letting him leave as a free agent at the end of the year and getting absolutely nothing in return. It would be disappointing for the Royals, sure, but it's the only smart play amid their disastrous 2026 campaign. So, what happens next for Strahm? Some team's gonna roll the dice on that past glory, hoping to unlock it again. It's a classic deadline play, trying to find that diamond in the rough. Speaking of big moves, word on the street is the Cubs are floating a trade idea to send Seiya Suzuki to our Mariners for Luis Castillo. Now THAT'S something to chew on as the deadline gets closer.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.