Tommy Pham didn’t just work his way back into the White Sox mix - he apparently made his case in an elevator.
According to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, the veteran outfielder recently talked his way onto Chicago’s roster for the Guardians series after running into White Sox GM Chris Getz and telling him he was ready. Rogers wrote on X: "Tommy Pham (calf) activated and batting cleanup for the White Sox. He said he ran into Chris Getz in the elevator last night and told him he was ready."
Getz was asked what would have happened if that elevator meeting never happened. His answer, also relayed by Rogers, was simple: "Probably wait until this weekend," Getz responded.
Pham ended up batting fourth as the designated hitter on Wednesday for the White Sox, who entered the day in a tight AL Central race with Cleveland. Chicago held a 0.5-game lead over the Guardians after the clubs split the first two games of their three-game set at Progressive Field. Cleveland took Tuesday’s game in walk-off fashion.
The 38-year-old Pham has spent most of this season at Triple-A after a brief nine-game run with the New York Mets, where he was designated for assignment. He was acquired by Chicago from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations.
Pham made an immediate impact in the game, crushing a three-run homer in the top of the fifth to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 White Sox lead.
Chicago still had innings left to play, but Pham’s timing - and his elevator pitch - gave the White Sox a timely boost as they tried to protect their slim division edge.
In Other News...
Guardians Rookie Just Delivered The Response Cleveland Needed Most
Petey Halpin gave Cleveland exactly the kind of night a young player can use to change the conversation. After an early defensive misplay, the rookie answered with the biggest swing of the game, a go-ahead three-run homer against the White Sox that helped the Guardians beat Chicago 6-3 and move into first place in the AL Central. It was the sort of response teams remember, especially from a player still trying to carve out his place on a club with real division ambitions.
Halpins night carried a little extra weight because of the matchup, too. He had not done much against left-handed pitching before, but he came through with his first home run off a lefty and added key hits along the way, drawing praise from teammates and coaches for the way he handled the moment. For Cleveland, it was more than a promising rookie performance. It was the kind of contribution that can steady a dugout and hint at what the Guardians might have in him going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Just Grabbed Back First Place At The Perfect Time
Parker Messick and Anthony Kay gave the night an immediate feel of a game that would be shaped on the margins, and for a while that is exactly how it played. Cleveland and Chicago matched up with both starters leaning on the same trends they had shown against this opponent all season, before the Guardians found a third-inning breakthrough and started stacking enough contact and pressure to turn it their way.
Jo Adell, Tommy Pham, Petey Halpin and Jose all helped push the inning-to-inning advantage along, while the bullpen piece mattered just as much once the lead was in hand. Hagen Smith, Sean Newcomb and Hunter Gaddis each had a hand in the late work, and for Cleveland the bigger picture was as important as the box score: a win like this came at exactly the right moment in a tight race, with first place back within reach again. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Face A Steven Kwan Decision Fans May Hate
Steven Kwans name has become one of the more interesting long-term conversations around Cleveland as the season moves along, because the Guardians are staring at a familiar kind of front-office crossroads. He is entering the final year of his contract, and after 2027 he could be on track for free agency, which makes his future a real issue for a club that has to balance present value with the realities of its roster cycle.
Kwans season has still carried plenty of value, with his overall impact showing up strongly in bWAR even as his offense has been a little below his usual standard. That tension is what makes the coming offseason so delicate for Cleveland: whether to explore a trade while his market is still strong or push for a long-term extension and keep one of its most recognizable everyday players in place. [Read more 🡒]