The Phillies kept moving on Monday, even with the postseason in view and even after sweeping the Los Angeles Angels. This time, the deal sent veteran outfielder Tommy Pham to the Chicago White Sox.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the trade on X, writing, “Trade news: The Chicago White Sox are acquiring outfielder Tommy Pham from the Philadelphia Phillies, sources tell ESPN,” Passan wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Pham is expected to join the White Sox when rosters expand Sept.
- The 38-year-old rejoins the Sox after spending parts of 2026 with the Mets, O's and Phils.”
The move comes after the Aug. 3 deadline, but Pham was still eligible to be dealt because he was not on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster. Players in the minor leagues can still be traded, which made the transaction possible.
Pham’s season has been a whirlwind. He opened the year with the New York Mets, where he appeared in nine games, went 13 at-bats without a hit, and was designated for assignment on April 27.
After clearing waivers, he became a free agent and signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles on May 16. That stint never got him out of the minors, and he eventually opted out, was released, and then signed with the Phillies on June 27 on another minor league contract.
Now Pham is headed back to Chicago, where he played 70 games in the 2024 season. With rosters set to expand on Sept. 1, his next role with the White Sox is still to be determined.
In Other News...
Ranger Surezs Rough Boston Year Just Took Another Painful Turn
Ranger Surezs first season in Boston has not gone the way anyone around the Red Sox would have hoped when he arrived on a five-year deal after leaving the Phillies in free agency. What was supposed to be a fresh start has instead become a grind, with a rocky beginning, an injury that cost him an All-Star appearance and a rough outing against the Yankees that only deepened the frustration around his early months in the American League.
Now the attention is shifting beyond the box scores and toward what Bostons medical staff can do to get him right. Surezs struggles have already put his season under a microscope, and after a year that has included as much uncertainty as promise, the next phase may end up being as important as the move itself. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Just Made A Veteran Roster Decision That Says Plenty
The Phillies moved on from Tommy Pham on the final day of August, sending the veteran outfielder to the White Sox after a brief stay in Philadelphia. Pham had signed with the Phillies in late June but never made a major league appearance for them, making the deal more about roster flexibility than any on-field role he had carved out in red pinstripes.
Pham now returns to Chicago, where he previously found success in 2024 and gives the White Sox a seasoned bat as they keep chasing a playoff berth. For Philadelphia, the move is another reminder of how quickly a team can pivot at this stage of the season, especially with veteran pieces who can still have value elsewhere even if the fit never quite develops at home. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Just Opened A Roster Question At A Crucial Time
Tommy Pham is on the move again, and this one creates a little more uncertainty than usual for a Phillies team trying to sort out the edges of its roster at a meaningful stretch. Philadelphia traded the veteran outfielder to the Chicago White Sox, with Pham expected to surface on the White Sox roster when MLB expands on September 1. He had been working in Triple-A before the deal, after already bouncing among several teams during the 2026 season.
For the Phillies, the move leaves open another spot to be managed as the calendar turns toward the seasons final month. Phams time in Philadelphia never had the feel of a long-term fit, but dealing him now still highlights how much roster churn can matter this late in the year, especially when every bench and depth decision starts to carry more weight. The White Sox, meanwhile, are banking on his veteran presence and postseason background while they try to hold onto first place in the AL Central. [Read more 🡒]