Tommy Pham signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason. He’s the second-oldest player on the roster behind only Andrew McCutchen. In Sunday’s 8-3 win over the Texas Rangers, Pham turned in his best game of the season, going three for three with two doubles and three runs batted in.
Pirates manager Don Kelly was asked about Pham after the game and praised the outfielder for his contributions both on and off the field.
“He’s a pro. He’s an awesome teammate,” Kelly said. “He’s always trying to get better, and he’s helping other guys get better. When you watch [batting practice], he’s got [Alex] Canario and [Oneil] Cruz with [Tarrik Brock] out there. They’re always working to try to get better, and Tommy is right in the middle of that every single day.”
Pham is far from having his best season, but there’s more to being a teammate than on-field performance. Adjusting to major league life and learning how to win at the highest level is difficult. Pham is in his 12th big league season and has seen it all at this point.
The switch-hitting outfielder has played on playoff teams and last-place teams. He’s started and come off the bench. The on-field output isn’t what the Pirates or Pham hoped for when the outfielder joined the team. He’s hitting just .209 in 52 games. Still, he’s accepted his role, worked hard, and done everything he can to help the team both now and in the future.
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