There could also be no participant who’s extra more likely to be traded over the subsequent month than Tommy Pham, who’s hitting effectively as an reasonably priced rental on the worst workforce within the league. It’d be very shocking if the White Sox didn’t transfer him earlier than the July 30 deadline.
Jon Heyman of the New York Put up reviews that the Royals are one of many groups which have proven curiosity. There’s nothing to recommend the Royals are the favourite or that any Pham commerce is imminent. Heyman writes that a number of golf equipment are unsurprisingly wanting on the veteran outfielder.
Kansas Metropolis has the worst outfield amongst playoff contenders. Royal outfielders have been the least productive offensive group within the majors. They entered in the present day’s recreation with a cumulative .209/.268/.343 batting line. They’re twenty eighth in batting common and slugging and useless final in on-base share. Six of the seven gamers who’ve logged significant outfield reps for Ok.C. have been effectively below-average hitters. The lone exception, utility participant Garrett Hampson, has league common numbers propped up by a .418 batting common on balls in play.
The Royals have used Hunter Renfroe, Kyle Isbel and MJ Melendez as their main outfield. Melendez is hitting .180/.246/.364 over 224 plate appearances. Isbel’s .225/.270/.348 line isn’t a lot better. Renfroe had a horrible first two months after signing a two-year free agent deal. He’d began to warmth up in June earlier than struggling a left foot harm that shelved him final week. Since Renfroe went down, the Royals have rotated Adam Frazier, Dairon Blanco and first designated hitter Nelson Velázquez via proper subject. None of that trio has offered a lot offensively this yr.
Pham might be a greater hitter than anybody within the Kansas Metropolis outfield. The 36-year-old ran a .256/.328/.446 line with 16 house runs throughout 481 plate appearances between the Mets and Diamondbacks final season. That didn’t translate into the type of free agent curiosity that his camp was anticipating. Pham remained unsigned into the center of April. He finally inked a minor league contract with Chicago, although that got here with an understanding that he’d be referred to as up by the tip of the month after getting some tune-up work in Triple-A.
The deal comes with a $3MM base wage and features a $500K task bonus within the occasion of a commerce. Pham and the Sox entrance workplace had been probably each hoping for such an final result. A commerce would permit the Sox to recoup a mid-level prospect whereas giving the outfielder a chance to play for a contender.
Pham has held his up his finish of the discount, handing over strong numbers over 39 video games. He’s hitting .276/.349/.388 over 169 plate appearances. His energy is down — he has solely three homers — however he’s drawing walks at a strong 9.5% clip towards a 20.1% strikeout fee. Pham had a minimal injured record stint earlier this month due to a light left ankle sprain.
Chicago gave Pham 26 begins in heart subject whereas Luis Robert Jr. was on the shelf. That’s his first pretty common work there since 2018. A contender wouldn’t view him as greater than an emergency choice in heart, however he’s a roughly common defender in left subject.
That has been Melendez’s purview in Kansas Metropolis. He’s a former prime prospect who hasn’t made sufficient contact to faucet into his energy upside. Melendez has punched out in 26.5% of his profession plate appearances and owns a .217/.302/.388 line over components of three seasons. He’s a left-handed hitter who hasn’t discovered constant success towards pitchers of both handedness.
The Royals presumably nonetheless have hope for Melendez, who’s in his age-25 season. Ok.C. common supervisor J.J. Picollo stated he anticipates enhancements from the in-house outfielders whereas acknowledging the workforce might look exterior the group in the event that they don’t begin getting extra manufacturing.
Earlier this week, Picollo informed Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville on The Windup podcast that the workforce want to add a participant with the flexibility to maneuver between the infield and outfield. That’s not Pham, who has performed all 7000+ innings of his MLB profession on the grass. Picollo’s feedback actually don’t rule out buying a standard outfielder, although. The GM expressed a broad need to deepen the batting order and urged he’d be aggressive in supporting the group’s greatest likelihood at a playoff berth since their 2015 World Collection.
The White Sox received’t have any qualms about buying and selling Pham throughout the division. Conversely, the return can be modest sufficient that Kansas Metropolis shouldn’t be involved about surrendering the type of prospect capital essential to a division rival. Past the will for offensive assist, Picollo has spoken on a pair events about their need so as to add energy arms to the bullpen. White Sox nearer Michael Kopech suits the invoice and has reportedly drawn some consideration from Ok.C., amongst others. There’s no indication the groups have actively explored any type of package deal deal, however it’s straightforward sufficient to see the potential enchantment of that type of association.
