Phillies sign veteran outfielder Tommy Pham to a minor-league contract
Pham, 38, has played for 10 teams during his 13-year career. He went 0-for-13 with seven strikeouts in April with the Mets before getting released.
NEW YORK — In their endless search for a right-handed bat, the Phillies are turning to a well-traveled 38-year-old outfielder.
Tommy Pham, released by two teams in the last three months, has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Phillies, a major-league source confirmed Saturday. He will likely join triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Pham can opt out of the deal if he isn’t in the majors by July 25, nine days before the trade deadline, according to ESPN.com, which initially reported the agreement.
» READ MORE: The Phillies still need a right-handed bat. Let’s take an early dive into some options before the trade deadline.
The Phillies bypassed other opportunities to acquire Pham, notably at the 2024 trade deadline. But through Friday, their right-handed hitters combined for a .605 OPS, last in the majors by a wide margin.
Pham is a .256 hitter with 149 homers and a .764 OPS in 13 seasons with 10 teams. Two years ago, he had a 70-game stretch for the White Sox in which he batted .266 with five homers and was 3% better than league average, based on OPS+.
But it’s been a while since Pham was productive at the major-league level. He went 0-for-13 with seven strikeouts in April with the Mets before getting released. In 16 triple-A games with the Orioles, he went 12-for-61 (.197) with four homers and a .696 OPS.
» READ MORE: One-stop shopping for the Phillies at the trade deadline again? Here’s three teams that could be a fit
The Phillies are running two outfield platoons. Lefty-hitting rookies Justin Crawford and Gabriel Rincones Jr. start against right-handed pitchers; righty-swinging Derek Hill and Edmundo Sosa start against lefties.
Entering play Saturday, Phillies outfielders had a .668 OPS, tied for 26th at the position despite an All-Star-caliber season from Brandon Marsh.
Let's talk about the Phillies' bullpen. Larry Andersen happens to be an expert on the subject. The popular Phillies radio analyst had a 17-year major-league career in which he appeared in 699 games – all but one in relief. He joins Phillies Extra to break down the biggest question standing between the Phillies and a long run through October: How will they bridge the gap to closer Jhoan Duran? Watch here.
You can also subscribe to the podcast version of Phillies Extra on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Previous episodes: Matt Klentak | Jeff Francoeur | Luke Murton | Mike Hazen | Tony Gwynn Jr. | Kevin Stocker | Bobby Dickerson | Jim Bowden | John Middleton | Ryan Howard
