Reds outfielder Tommy Pham's talents do not outweigh his antics
We've yet to hear from Tommy Pham regarding what went down on Friday afternoon at Great American Ball Park. But Joc Pederson is talking, and if you take the San Francisco Giants' outfielder at his word, the Cincinnati Reds have a problem on their hands.
Major League Baseball is still investigating the incident, but according to multiple reports and even Pederson himself, prior to Friday's game, Pham slapped Pederson across the face because of a dispute involving fantasy football.
You can't make this stuff up, and that's why I tend to believe Joc Pederson's account. If it's found that the incident occurred just as Pederson has explained, then David Bell and the Reds brass have some decisions to make.
Reds' OF Tommy Pham and Giants' OF Joc Pederson got into an altercation on Friday.
Tommy Pham was brought to Cincinnati to help fill the void left by Jesse Winker when the Reds traded their All-Star outfielder and third baseman Eugenio Suárez to the Seattle Mariners during the offseason.
Pham struggled to begin the 2022 season, but appeared to snap out of his funk with a visit to his former team out in San Diego. However, the visit to the West Coast was not without controversy.
The former Padres outfielder made headlines when he basically challenged Luke Voit to a fight after the San Diego slugger, for lack of better words, karate chopped Tyler Stephenson during a collision at home plate back in April. Stephenson suffered a concussion.
Tommy Pham's antics remind me somewhat of former Cincinnati Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig. The Reds traded for Puig prior to the 2019 season, but the former Los Angeles Dodgers' slugger was dealt to Cleveland at the trade deadline.
Puig was a unique individual who brought a lot of fun to the ballpark, but his short fuse saw the Wild Horse lose his composure on several occasions while he was with the Reds. I honestly see Pham suffering the same fate as Puig.
Pham is a free agent after this season, and with the Reds struggling, they're likely to be sellers at the trade deadline. It's anyone's guess what Cincinnati might receive in return for Pham's services, but you can bet he'll be made available as the trade deadline inches closer.
Tommy Pham has talent. He can knock the cover off the ball. But much like Yasiel Puig, and even Amir Garrett, his antics don't outweigh his talent. There's a chance that a suspension may be in the works for Pham. We'll have to wait and