Tommy Pham, the free agent outfielder who helped the Arizona Diamondbacks reach the 2023 World Series last season only to be out of work for the next five months, is finally close to finding a new club.
Pham, player No. 33 of the AthleticismToronto’s top 40 free agent is close to reaching an agreement with the injury-depleted Chicago White Sox on a minor league contract, according to sources briefed on the discussions. He will sign a minor league contract because he is out of options. This way, the White Sox can start him in the minors without needing to land him on waivers and promote him when he is ready.
Since the start of the season, the White Sox have lost designated hitter Eloy Jiménez to a left adductor strain and center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to a right hip flexor strain. Last Tuesday, they suffered another blow when third baseman Yoan Moncada suffered a left adductor strain.
Pham, 36, had held out all offseason, waiting for an offer that seemed worthy of his value. His age seems to be one of the main reasons why clubs are hesitant to sign him. Pham’s 1.9 fWAR last season was comparable to those of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (2.0), Jorge Soler (1.9) and Teoscar Hernández (1.8), and he reached that number in less than matches that all.
Each of these players, however, has performed well in the open market, in part because they are younger. Gurriel, 30, signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Diamondbacks. Soler, 32, received the same terms from the San Francisco Giants. Hernández, 31, agreed to a one-year deal worth $23.5 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In 119 games with the New York Mets and Diamondbacks, Pham hit .256 with 16 home runs and a .774 OPS. His OPS, when adjusted for park and league factors, was 11 percent higher than the league average. He also hit well in the Diamondbacks’ upset of the Dodgers in the Division Series (1.071 OPS) and their five-game loss to the Texas Rangers in the World Series (1.165).
With Pham expected to leave the board, first baseman Brandon Belt is the only free agent Athleticismof the top 40 which will still not be signed. Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski recently described his former teammate’s situation as “confusing and upsetting.” Belt will turn 36 on April 20.
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(Pham top photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)