The New York Mets have agreed to terms on a contract with free agent outfielder, Tommy Pham. Per Buster Olney of ESPN, it is a one-year contract worth $6 million that includes $2 million in incentives.
Prior to the signing of Pham, while reviewing the Mets roster on paper, a fourth outfielder and a right-handed designated hitter were two clear needs. Pham can address them both for the Mets.
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New York Mets add veteran OF Tommy Pham:
Pham joins the Mets with quality MLB experience under his belt, having played nine seasons. The soon-to-be 10-year veteran turns 35 in early March. He offers some size, listed at 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds. Pham is both a right-handed hitter and fielder.
Over his nine-year MLB career, Pham has a .259 batting average (2,957 at-bats). He is coming off a year in which he hit just .236. Pham played in 144 games in 2022 and recorded 17 home runs and 63 runs batted in. His OPS was low, finishing with a .686.
The Mets lineup needs an infusion of power, which Pham does not necessarily provide. Throughout his nine-year career, Pham has had just three 20-plus home run seasons, with the most recent one in 2019. In 155 games played in 2021, Pham had only 15 home runs.
Where the Mets could use Pham as their top right-handed designated hitter, he does offer some promise. Over the course of his nearly decade-long career, Pham has a .276 batting average against left-handed pitching. He does only have 49 career starts as a designated hitter, 10 of those did come last year.
In terms of what Pham offers defensively, he is primarily a left fielder. Of his 707 career starts in the outfield, 518 were in left. Pham could possibly platoon with Mark Canha on days he does not DH.
Pham is likely less exciting to most Mets fans than some of the other names floated around out there. The Mets did reportedly make offers to Adam Duvall and Andrew McCutchen, per Andy Martino of SNY. While the ability to hit home runs may not be there with Pham, what the Mets need in him is someone who can help their lineup against left-handed pitching.