Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham nears a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The minor league designation is necessary because he has no options. This way, Pham can shake off the rust that comes with signing weeks into the season on the minor league side without having to go through waivers first.
Pham, 36, had his most productive season in years in 2023. He hit .256/.328/.446 (111 OPS+) with 16 home runs and 68 RBI in 129 games split between the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks. His contributions were worth an estimated 1.5 wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference calculations.
CBS Sports ranked Pham as the 34th best free agent available during the offseason. This is what we wrote at the time:
Two things are certain about Pham: he will hit the ball hard and he will wear down the center of the field. Nearly half of his batted balls last season clocked in at 95 mph or faster, and more than 40% of them were aimed straight ahead. That combination resulted in Pham’s best OPS+ since 2019, when he was a member of the Rays. He has played for five teams in the intervening years, suggesting that if there is one thing that is certain about him, it is that he will continue to change clubhouses.
The White Sox are currently without outfielder Luis Robert Jr. and Eloy Jiménez, as well as infielder Yoán Moncada. Pham should give their lineup a much-needed boost.
The White Sox are 2-13 after Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Reds. As such, it’s probably fair to consider Pham as a candidate to switch teams before the trade deadline, provided he can produce in the next few months.