Orioles Sign Tommy Pham To Minor League Contract
The Orioles have signed veteran outfielder Tommy Pham to a minor league deal, in response to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez (multiple links). The contract incorporates an opt-out clause for Pham in early June if he hasn’t already been added to Baltimore’s energetic roster. Pham is represented by Republik Sports.
If Pham’s contract is chosen and he seems in a recreation for the O’s, he would turn out to be the twenty fourth participant (and ninth place participant) to swimsuit up for 11 completely different MLB groups over the course of his profession. Historical noteworthiness apart, Pham’s first precedence is simply to get his 2026 season on monitor, as he went hitless over 14 plate appearances and 9 video games for the Mets earlier this season.
Pham went virtually all the offseason with out being signed, as he did not land his earlier minors cope with the Mets till March 26. After figuring out at prolonged Spring Training after which enjoying in 4 A-ball video games, New York chosen Pham’s contract on April 12, however his lack of manufacturing led to a DFA in late April. Pham then selected to turn out to be a free agent after clearing waivers, fairly than accepting an outright project to the Mets’ Triple-A membership.
While studying an excessive amount of into his 14 PA this season is unfair, Pham has hit solely .240/.321/.382 over 2730 PA since Opening Day 2020, which interprets to a 96 wRC+. His solely full seasons of above-average offense in that stretch had been 2021 (103 wRC+) and 2023 (109 wRC+), and his splits in opposition to left-handed pitching are nothing particular.
The frequent modifications of uniform might be one motive for this inconsistent efficiency, and Pham has had a behavior of streaky play over his complete profession. The 2025 season noticed Pham really stick with one workforce for all the season, and he hit .245/.330/.370 over 449 PA for the Pirates.
What Pham nonetheless has within the tank at age 38 stays to be seen, however there isn’t any danger for the Orioles in taking a flier on a minor league signing. Making New York’s roster assured a $2.25MM wage for Pham in 2026, so the O’s would owe him solely the prorated portion of the roughly $1.65MM remaining for any time Pham spends on Baltimore’s 26-man roster (with the Mets on the hook for the remaining).
Taylor Ward and Tyler O’Neill are the Orioles’ main nook outfielders, and like Pham, each are right-handed hitters. This implies that Pham’s paths to his traditional positions are just about blocked, though O’Neill is struggling badly on the plate, and Pham might be a depth choice for the O’s in a broader sense given their different harm woes.
Ryan Mountcastle is on the 60-day IL and Jordan Westburg is gone for the season, leaving Baltimore brief two right-handed bats. In the outfield, Dylan Beavers and Heston Kjerstad (each left-handed hitters) are on the IL although Kjerstad is making progress on a minor league rehab project. The O’s would like to maintain Samuel Basallo because the common designated hitter every time he is not spelling Adley Rutschman behind the plate, however since Basallo is a lefty hitter, Pham could be considered as a potential fill-in DH if the Orioles are going through a left-handed opponent.
