Matt Strahm on 'open wound' of NLCS collapse, Phillies' trust in Dave Dombrowski at trade deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies are the best team in baseball at the All-Star break and among the favorites for the World Series. They had eight players named to the NL All-Star roster, perhaps none more surprising than middle reliever Matt Strahm.

Strahm signed with the Phillies prior to last season and pitched some as a starter before settling into his usual bullpen role. He’s 4-1 with a 1.49 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 39 appearances this season.

The lefty reliever talked about the Phillies losing in the NLCS last year and the upcoming trade deadline at All-Star Media Day, as heard on the Audacy Sports Podcast “Baseball Isn’t Boring” this week.

“Obviously, in ‘22 they came up short, and then last year being with the team you could feel it from the guys that came up short the year before. Just feed off it,” Strahm said. “Our turnover in our clubhouse was very minimal, the smallest I’ve ever had. Day one of spring it didn’t even feel like we said hi. We were just like just go. We all knew.”

After losing to the Astros in the World Series in 2022, the Phillies were poised for a postseason run last year. They swept the Marlins in the Wild Card round, got past the Braves in the NLDS, and took a 2-0 NLCS lead to Arizona. The Phils returned home holding a 3-2 series lead but couldn’t close it out.

“I think it’s just an open wound until we fix it,” Strahm said of last season’s defeat. “It is what it is, but gotta fix it.”

While the Phillies sit atop the baseball world currently, general manager Dave Dombrowski may be looking to add a few pieces at the trade deadline.

Strahm trusts the plan, as does the rest of the Phillies clubhouse.

“This is my ninth season so of nine clubhouses I think this one there’s not really a care. We have what we have and we know what we can do. We know what we’re capable of,” he said. “I think every single one of us trusts Dave (Dombrowski) and whatever he does we’re going to run with and it is what it is.

“Obviously, I’ve been on other teams where we’re looking around wondering which one of us is being shipped out of here, and other teams ‘What are we going to do? Are we going to add?’ But this team, we just got to play until October.”

The left-handed reliever never thought he’d make an All-Star team given how overlooked middle relievers typically are. While making the All-Star Game is cool, it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t end up getting a ring.

“Nah, I gotta win. That’s what I’m looking to do. That’s why we play this,” Strahm said. “This is cool, don’t get me wrong. I’m not downplaying this at all, this is awesome. One thing I want to do is win the World Series.”