Tommy Pham is back in the Cincinnati conversation, and not in a way that will endear him to Reds fans.
The former Reds outfielder, who spent part of the 2022 season in Cincinnati after signing a one-year deal in the 2021-22 offseason, weighed in on Dane Myers’ dropped fly ball in Thursday afternoon’s loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Pham was the Opening Day left fielder for the Reds that year, hit 11 home runs with a .694 OPS in 91 games, and then was traded to the Boston Red Sox at the deadline.
On X, in response to a Reds fan, Pham wrote, "What’s going on is we have cf’s today who know the value of stealing catches to help their ooa numbers go up bcuz it improves your war so you have this, a game that is lost bcuz the cf didn’t want the lf to catch the ball bcuz he wanted the points"
Pham’s comment came after Myers’ misplay turned into a game-changing moment, but the criticism landed hard because the sequence didn’t look nearly as simple as he made it sound. Myers ranged a long way and was calling off the left fielder in an effort to make the catch, while TJ Friedl appeared to be dealing with the sun and may not have had a clean read on the ball. Myers should have finished the play, but the idea that he was trying to pad his numbers feels like a stretch.
That kind of shot from Pham also invites a little perspective. He struggled to find much of a market this offseason, eventually landing on a minor-league deal with the New York Mets right before the season started.
That stint went nowhere fast: he went 0-for-13 with seven strikeouts and was designated for assignment a month later. He has since hooked on with the Philadelphia Phillies, but is currently with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
For Reds fans, Thursday’s loss was another rough one in a season that has not gone the way anyone in Cincinnati expected. Plenty of people believed this team was built to chase the NL Central and make noise in October, but the results have fallen well short of that vision.
And that’s what makes the pile-on feel a little hollow. Myers clearly came up short on the play, and he looked devastated afterward. But he was also the same player who helped deliver a comeback win on Monday with a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning that set up an Elly De La Cruz walk-off.
Baseball gives you both sides of the coin, sometimes in the same week. The Reds are living through that now, with the low points feeling heavier than the highs.
Thursday was one of the ugliest losses of the year. Still, there’s another game today.
In Other News...
Spencer Steer Update Could Force A Tough Reds Decision
The Reds open a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Nick Lodolo on the mound, but there was plenty happening around the roster before the first pitch. Cincinnati added former Braves right-hander Darius Vines on a minor-league deal, a move that gives the organization some extra pitching depth as it keeps sorting through the long grind of the season. Austin Hendricks demotion to Double-A Chattanooga also underscored how quickly the club is still adjusting pieces at the lower levels.
The more pressing watch, though, is Spencer Steer, who is due for a wrist re-evaluation that could determine whether surgery becomes necessary. Any update there would ripple beyond Steer himself, since the Reds have already had to manage lineup uncertainty and can ill afford another extended absence from a player theyve had to count on in multiple roles. For a club trying to keep momentum while navigating injuries and roster churn, this is the kind of situation that could force a difficult decision soon. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Face An Elly De La Cruz Question They Cant Ignore
Terry Francona has made it clear he would rather not keep Elly De La Cruz in the leadoff spot, even with the switch-hitting star still giving the Reds all the traits that normally make a lineup look better at the top. De La Cruz brings speed, plate discipline and the kind of dynamic threat Cincinnati can build around, but the way he has been used has also put extra pressure on both him and Sal Stewart in the heart of the order.
The bigger question is whether the Reds can find a cleaner answer before next season, because this is not a problem that looks likely to solve itself. De La Cruzs slump has come at the same time the club has struggled, and a more traditional table-setter would make sense in theory, but the available choices may not fit Cincinnatis budget or roster needs all that well. [Read more 🡒]
Alfredo Duno Is Giving Reds Fans A Reason To Look Ahead
Even with the Reds battling through another uneven season and injuries again shaping the conversation around the roster, there has at least been one encouraging name to keep in mind on the farm. Catching prospect Alfredo Duno drew notice from ESPNs Kiley McDaniel, who ranked him No. 16 and pointed to the kind of power and defensive progress that can make a young backstop especially intriguing for a club looking for help in the years ahead.
For Cincinnati, the broader picture remains frustrating, with Hunter Greene among the key players whose absence has influenced the outlook and the team sitting 24th in ESPNs power rankings. Still, Dunos rise offers a reminder that not every storyline is about surviving the present, and with uncertainty hanging over the sports future as well, the Reds have reason to watch closely when a prospect starts to look like part of the answer. [Read more 🡒]