Strahm to be cautious with shoulder injury, might open '25 on IL

CLEARWATER, Fla. ¨C Matt Strahm would love to say he will be ready to pitch by Opening Day, but he knows this is no time to be a hero.

An MRI exam recently revealed that Strahm has an impingement in his left shoulder, which has caused inflammation, irritation and a bone bruise. There is no structural damage, Strahm said, but it is enough of a concern that he will not throw until at least Thursday, when he will be examined by a Phillies physician.

Strahm could open the season on the injured list.

¡°It¡¯s only March,¡± Strahm said Monday morning at BayCare Ballpark. ¡°We have bigger plans for this team than March. It¡¯s something we want to get ahead of and clean up so it¡¯s not an issue later.¡±

Still, it won¡¯t be easy to slow play it.

¡°Let¡¯s just say they had to put a leash on the dog,¡± Strahm said.

Strahm has a $4.5 million club option for 2026 that escalates in value based on innings pitched this season.

If Strahm pitches 60 innings, the option automatically vests at $7.5 million.

¡°Selfishly, I want to throw 60 innings, so I guarantee myself and family will be back in Philly next year,¡± Strahm said. ¡°But I understand the business. I also understand this team is destined to do great things, so I need to put that before myself.¡±

Strahm said he did not receive any injections, although he is taking oral anti-inflammatories.

¡°The inflammation, impingement, has caused my humeral head in my shoulder to not be in proper position,¡± Strahm said. ¡°So when I try to lay it back, it¡¯s kind of banging on my shoulder. So I have a little bone bruise in there.

¡°I had it come up when I started [throwing]. As the intensity increased every time, it would hurt. I went from catch to bullpens. First bullpen, it kind of hurt. Then the second and third felt better. Fourth, fifth kind of hurt. Sixth, seventh, felt better.

¡°Live BP, as soon as I upticked the intensity, it was like, ¡®Dang, that kind of hurt.¡¯ And then after my second [Grapefruit League] outing [on Wednesday], it was like, ¡®I¡¯m not recovering like I should.¡¯ I was trying to suppress it.¡±

Strahm, 33, is a critical piece to the Phillies¡¯ bullpen. He went 6-2 with a 1.87 ERA in 66 appearances last season and made his first All-Star team. The only other lefties in Philadelphia¡¯s bullpen are Jos¨¦ Alvarado and Tanner Banks.

Strahm¡¯s shoulder could create an opportunity for a reliever on the 40-man roster like Devin Sweet, who has pitched well in camp. It also probably entrenches Taijuan Walker into a bullpen role. He has pitched well in two starts this spring.

Strahm struggled in his only two spring appearances, allowing six runs on three hits, three walks and one home run while striking out three in 1 2/3 innings. His four-seam fastball averaged 91.5 mph after averaging 93.4 mph last spring.

¡°This is something I don¡¯t want to be dumb with,¡± Strahm said. ¡°I¡¯m only 33 years old. I want to play this game until I¡¯m 40. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve got to take care of, and make sure it doesn¡¯t linger in the future. So I¡¯ll do as I¡¯m told.¡±