The White Sox made a postseason-eligible roster move today by bringing back Tommy Pham, but there’s no reason for Guardians fans to view it as some kind of threat.
Pham is a familiar face in Chicago, having spent part of 2024 with the White Sox before being moved on. This time, the path back was simple enough: he had not been on a team’s 40-man roster all season, which made the transaction legal at this point in the year. The move came on the same day teams had to add outside players if they wanted them eligible for October.
Pham’s track record still carries some weight because he’s been around forever in baseball terms - 13 big league seasons and plenty of playoff experience - but the recent production tells a different story. He has played 68 minor league games this season and hit .239/.365/.410 with eight home runs and 49 RBI.
In 44 games with the Phillies’ Triple-A club, he posted a .250/.381/.391 line and walked at a 16.9% clip. That’s useful depth.
It’s not the kind of move that should rattle a division race.
The bigger red flag is what happened when he got back to the majors. In his only big league action this season, Pham went 0-for-13 with the Mets.
His career has taken plenty of turns since the early days with the Cardinals, Rays and Padres. Since 2022, he has been with eight different teams.
He spent 70 games with the White Sox in 2024 before being traded to the Cardinals in the deal that brought Chicago Miguel Vargas. After that, the Cardinals waived him in August and he finished the year with the Royals, where he played well down the stretch as they pushed toward the postseason.
Pham has a reputation as a strong October hitter, but that version of him has faded in recent years. The interest was there from other clubs - the Twins and Rangers were among them - but the Phillies also had every chance to bring him up amid their outfield injuries and never did.
He now slides into a White Sox outfield group that includes lefties Sam Antonacci, Tristan Peters and switch-hitter Braden Montgomery. That gives Chicago a platoon option, but not much more than that.
For the Guardians, the more meaningful outfield move came at the deadline when they landed Jo Adell. They also have Chase DeLauter emerging as a possible impact piece. Even with their struggles leaving them behind the White Sox in the division, they have enough talent that a veteran flyer like Pham doesn’t really change the equation.
In Other News...
Clase And Ortiz Face A Damaging New Twist In Cleveland Case
Federal prosecutors say the Cleveland Guardians pitchers at the center of the alleged pitch-rigging and betting case did more than simply face accusations tied to baseball integrity. In court filings, they allege Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz tried to mislead Major League Baseball investigators about their involvement, deepening a scandal that has already put the club in the middle of one of the sports uglier legal fights.
Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty to charges that include conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and sports bribery, and the case is now headed toward a November 2 trial. Prosecutors contend the pair ran afoul of MLBs Rule 21, which bars betting on baseball, while also attempting to hide payments and their roles during the leagues inquiry, adding another layer of risk for a franchise still waiting for this case to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Bullpen Move Comes With One Roster Twist To Watch
The Guardians are set to get a little more flexibility as September roster expansion gives the club a chance to shuffle some pieces around. Right-hander Carlos Hernndez will be added to the major league roster to fill an open spot on the 40-man, while utility man Daniel Schneemann is also coming back up from Triple-A Columbus to give Cleveland some extra bench depth.
Hernndez has been in the organization on a minor league deal and recently returned from injury, which makes his promotion a notable step as the team evaluates its bullpen options down the stretch. Schneemanns recall gives the Guardians another versatile bat and glove to work with, and the move creates one roster wrinkle worth keeping an eye on as Cleveland sorts out how it wants to use its expanded September group. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Spark Debate With September Choice On Intriguing Young Bat
The Guardians' September roster move brought a little bit of everything, with the club adding Daniel Schneemann and Carlos Hernandez as the expanded roster opened the door for help down the stretch. But the most interesting omission was Ralphy Velazquez, a first baseman whose minor league performance has made him one of the more intriguing young bats in the organization. His name had been in the conversation for a look, especially with rosters growing and the season entering its final month.
Instead, Cleveland is taking a cautious path with Velazquez, and the reasoning appears tied to bigger-picture concerns about how a potential MLB lockout next season could affect his development. The choice has already drawn some second-guessing, mostly because Velazquez is at a stage where every opportunity matters and the immediate upside is hard to ignore. For now, the Guardians are betting on patience, even if the decision leaves plenty of room for debate about when the next chance will come. [Read more 🡒]