PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The latest signing by the Pirates this offseason could have the biggest impact. Pirates manager Derek Shelton telling reporters in Bradenton Wednesday that Tommy Pham will be the starting left-fielder this year.
Pham signed a one-year deal a week ago for $4.025 million and now replaces, or better said, allows the Pirates to move their most productive offensive player, Bryan Reynolds, to right field.
It’s interesting on a couple of fronts as now Pham comes in not as a player in the mix to play in right, but to be an everyday player. The last time he played over 140 games, was in 2022 with the Reds and Red Sox hitting .236 with 23 doubles and 17 home runs. He had seven errors that season, but a career-high 15 assists playing exclusively in left field.
Offensively for Pham the last two seasons-2023 in 129 games, 27 doubles and 16 home runs and a .774 OPS. Last year he hit .248 with 20 doubles, nine home runs, .305 on-base percentage and .674 OPS.
Reynolds moving to right would also seem to open the door to him sliding to first base more often than if he were in left. Obviously, that could be more frequent earlier in the year with the injury to Spencer Horwitz which could keep him out a month of the regular season.
The Pirates have other options in right from Jack Suwinski to Adam Frazier with a number of others capable of handling that position. Suwinski has also played left, but a quick reminder that inexperienced Oneil Cruz is the starting centerfielder.
Turning 37-years-old next month, Pham may have waited out the offseason for this Pirates opportunity to show he can still be an everyday player. He’s going to get that shot. Can he still produce?