Ex-Mets Outfielder Tommy Pham Signs With NL Central Team

Former New York Met outfielder Tommy Pham is signing a one-year, $4 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Jul 5, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Mets outfielder Tommy Pham against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After being one of the few bright spots during the New York Mets' disappointing 2023 season, outfielder Tommy Pham is returning to the NL Central for the 2025 season.

On Thursday, Katie Woo and Ken Rosenthal of The Atheltic reported that Pham is signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates worth $4 million. The journeyman outfielder is no stranger to the NL Central as Pham began his major league career with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 36-year-old played for the Cardinals from 2014 to 2018 as well as 23 games for them last year. He also had a half season stint with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022.

Free-agent outfielder Tommy Pham is in agreement on a one-year, $4 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, multiple sources tell @Ken_Rosenthal and me. https://t.co/vwBbLkb2lp Journeyman outfielder Tommy Pham signs 1-year deal with Pittsburgh Pirates: Sources

— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) February 6, 2025

Pham is nearly two years removed from playing for the Mets after the team signed him to a one-year contract in January 2023. In a season that was filled with many disappointments for New York, the veteran outfielder certainly made the most of his opportunity. In 79 games with the Mets, Pham slashed .268/.348/.472 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI and posted an OPS of .820.

His tenure in New York didn't end so fondly, however, when Pham made a bold statement about his former more than a month after getting traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Tim Britton and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that Pham told then-teammate Francisco Lindor during a team dinner in June of 2023, "Out of all the teams I played on, this is the least-hardest working group of position players I’ve ever played with." Pham later clarified those comments that he made to Britton and Sammon and said that he respected the work ethic of Lindor, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo.

Pham will now be joining a Pirates team with some impressive talent that is trying to flip a lowly narrative. Pittsburgh is looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2015, which is the second longest active playoff drought in the major leagues behind the Los Angeles Angels.

In 116 regular season games playing for both the Chicago White Sox, Cardinals and Kansas City Royals last season, the veteran outfielder batted .248/.305/.368 with nine home runs and 39 RBI.

Pham, who turns 37 in March, has proven he can still produce offensively and is typically beloved by teammates given his drive, work ethic and tough mentality that he brings to a clubhouse.