Reports: Diamondbacks postseason contributor Tommy Pham nears deal with White Sox
Apr 14, 2024, 6:58 PM
Tommy Pham #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game One of the Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 07, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Former Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Tommy Pham, a key contributor last postseason, is close to a deal with the Chicago White Sox, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal first reported on Sunday.
The White Sox and Pham reportedly will agree to a minor-league contract before he gets called up after an extended free agency that lasted more than two weeks into the season.
Pham was a noted clubhouse presence and middle-of-the-order bat for the Diamondbacks during their run to the World Series. The D-backs traded for him at the deadline, sending teenage prospect Jeremy Rodriguez to the New York Mets.
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The now-36-year-old racked up a 15-game hitting streak early in his D-backs tenure that included a walk-off double against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 21.
Pham battled a case of turf toe down the stretch that kept him off the field, but he remained in the lineup as the designated hitter. He had up and down offensive success in the postseason with a stellar World Series, going 8-for-19 in the Fall Classic with four extra-base hits.
He went 4-for-4 in Game 2 against the Rangers, his second four-hit performance of the playoffs with the other coming against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the NLDS.
Pham also homered to start Arizona’s scoring in Game 6 of the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, which the D-backs won to force Game 7.
The Diamondbacks strike first thanks to Tommy Pham! 🐍
(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/BnJ70zFEvO
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2023
His slash line was .279/.297/.475 in 16 playoff games.
“He was one of the main pieces to our clubhouse when we acquired him,” general manager Mike Hazen said after the season. “I felt like the tone and tenor of our clubhouse in terms of the day-to-day seriousness with which we we approached winning and losing changed. He was as disciplined and hardworking as any player we brought into our clubhouse.”
Tommy Pham’s 4th hit of the night is a 4-bagger! pic.twitter.com/zDoKcAQ7qE
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) October 8, 2023
The right-handed bat had a .720 OPS with six home runs in 50 games with Arizona during the regular season.
Pham signed a one-year deal with a salary of $8 million last offseason with New York and said he expected more suitors this time. His .774 OPS in 2023 was his best over a full season since 2019 with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The D-backs were active adding pieces during the offseason both with offense and pitching. Additions included third baseman Eugenio Suarez, left-handed outfielder Joc Pederson and right-handed outfielder Randal Grichuk, along with pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery set to join the rotation. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. returned to the Valley as a free agent, as well.
Pham recently commented on X he’d be ready to go the day after signing with a new team.
Former outfielder Mike Cameron posted on Friday, “Good morning. Why Tommy Pham doesn’t have a job in the big leagues,” to which Pham responded, “They say I’m old, but my (Baseball) Savant page states otherwise.”
✊🏽 they say I’m old, but my savant page states otherwise
— Tommy Pham (@TphamLV) April 12, 2024
The White Sox — who also start former D-backs outfielder Dominic Fletcher — come to Chase Field from June 14-16 this season.
