Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Tommy Pham openly criticized the New York Mets for their inability to make the 2023 playoffs with the talent on their roster.
Pham: Mets Lacked Desire to Become The Greatest Versions of Themselves
According to Patrick McAvoy of Fan Nation, Pham boldly stated that his former team, the Mets, were much more talented than his current ball club, making their ineptitude a head-scratcher for him to get around:
“That team is more talented than this team,” Pham said. “Let’s be honest here. But what makes this team different is everyone is still at this level trying to reach their maximum potential. The drive wasn’t there (with the Mets) That drive is here. That’s what separates this team from most teams.”
Pham’s remarks not only take shots at New York’s failure in the win-loss department but also their work ethic. Pham does share culpability for some of the Mets’ struggles though. By the time Pham was dealt, the Mets were 50-55 on the year.
Comparing year-over-year statistical growth does not tell the full story when assessing players’ drives to succeed. Pham was not the only Mets player to improve his slash line across the board or deliver more home runs from 2022 to 2023.
However, most of New York’s batting order saw a regression in more than one area and the team finished No. 17 league-wide with 88 errors committed. This grossly differed from their 67 errors in 2022 which were the second-fewest in the MLB.
Per Jimmy Hascup of NJ.com, Pham openly praised Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Francisco Lindor for their productivity, leaving his unnamed slights directed to the rest of the Mets’ rotation.
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The Diamondbacks Have Overcome Unfavorable Odds Despite Unimpressive Record
By the time he arrived in Arizona, the Diamondbacks were 57-53. They now trail the Texas Rangers 2-1 in the World Series. Upon beating the Rangers, the Diamondbacks would become the team with the second-worst record in MLB history to win a World Series crown.
All of this attests to Pham’s remarks regarding his new team. The Diamondbacks willed themselves to upset sweeps over the No. 3 seeded Milwaukee Brewers and the No. 2 seeded Los Angeles Dodgers before taking down Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies in a seven-game showdown.
Something unseen could have caused the Mets to regress this season. A team doesn’t drop 24 games in the win column having a nearly identical roster without factors at play behind the scenes. Pham’s comments may hold some truth, but the Mets are concerned about getting themselves to the World Series and not the disparaging remarks of players no longer with the team.
