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It is Big Bat Week at Twins Daily, and this player may not indeed qualify in that category, but it is a veteran right-handed bat. Since the Twins will potentially be big-game hunting in the shortstop and pitching markets, they may need to fill the need for a right-handed bat in a slightly less expensive way. Tommy Pham, who was traded mid-season to the Boston Red Sox, could represent that sort of bat.
Pham started the 2022 season with the Cincinnati Reds, and the Red Sox brought him in at the deadline to try and salvage their season. Over his career, Pham has been a respectable bat, but 2022 wasn’t the type of year he likely expects of himself. He slashed .237/.312/.374 (.686) and hit 17 home runs.
What is intriguing about Pham is that he could provide a similar ability to hit left-handed pitching as recently-resigned Kyle Garlick does. In 2022, Pham hit .273/.338/.446, a .784 OPS, and six home runs against lefties. The difference between Pham and Garlick is that Pham has shown a much higher upside than Garlick. Pham has also, at age 34, been showing some discouraging signs of decline.
In 2022, Pham’s walk rate dropped to a low 9.0% while his strikeout rate climbed to 26.8%. One likely contributing factor to those shifts is that Pham has been diagnosed with keratoconus, a cornea-thinning eye issue. He believes he is beyond the issue and has it corrected. If the Twins believe the same, they could buy low on Pham and at least get another platoon outfield bat and maybe more.
In addition to another right-handed bat to roll out against left-handed pitchers, Pham would also allow Gilberto Celestino time to finish refining his game in the minors. Pham is also a more realistic replacement as a starter for Max Kepler if the worst-case scenario presents itself. That being that Trevor Larnach or Alex Kirilloff struggle to return to the lineup, and Kepler doesn’t find more success with his bat even after the changes to defensive shifting.
A Pham signing certainly would come with some risk. Seeing that the Red Sox already declined his $12 million option for 2023, he would seemingly come at a price tag well below that. That lower price tag will prove valuable if the Twins pull off a Carlos Correa or similar signing and, at the same time, address the glaring need for a bat that can hit left-handed pitching.
If the Twins do sign Pham, they will want to be careful that they review all the Fantasy Football league rules ahead of his involvement.
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