3 trade destinations for Tommy Pham as Pirates slugger heats up before deadline

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham is having one of the most unlikely mid-season turnarounds in MLB. After June 19, Pham was batting just .194/.278/.219 with a 41 wRC+. He was striking out 26.7% of the time, and the only positive was his 10.2% walk rate. His 41 wRC+ was worse than some former Pirates pitchers.

However, after a change with his vision prescription to assist with a degenerative eye condition, Pham is hitting .415/.457/.489 with a 215 wRC+. It’s a small sample size of only 46 plate appearances, but Pham is (literally) seeing the ball a lot better. 

Pham’s defense this year has graded out as solid. He has primarily played left field this season and has +7 defensive runs saved. Outs above average isn’t as bullish on Pham’s performance with the glove, but is only at zero. His arm also plays well, as he is in the 67th percentile of arm strength. That resurgence with the stick could be enough to bring his trade value up, just enough to generate interest from these teams that need an outfielder at the trade deadline.

3 trade destinations for Tommy Pham as Pirates slugger heats up before deadline

San Diego Padres

Believe it or not, but San Diego Padres left fielders are hitting worse than Pham. Their left fielders are hitting a meager .228/.281/.332. While they have only struck out 18% of the time, their 6.5% walk rate is the sixth lowest in baseball. Overall, they have a horrendous 74 wRC+. 

Jason Heyward was one of the main answers in left field for the Padres this season. However, the once gifted defender slashed just .176/.223/.271 with a 39 wRC+. Even though he still has quality outfield defense, a 39 wRC+ is unplayable for a team that wants to make a deep postseason run. Heyward was ultimately released by the Padres in late June.

Gavin Sheets has logged some time in left field. He has been a great pickup by the Padres, as he is slashing .262/.321/444 with a 116 wRC+ in 333 plate appearances. However, most of Sheets’ playing time has been at designated hitter. He has also appeared in a handful of games at first base. Sheets’ splits also limit his ability to play, as he mashes righties, but falls short against lefties.

The Padres have also trotted out Tyler Wade, Brandon Lockridge, and Tirso Ornelas to left field this season. Acquiring Pham gives the Padres a real outfield option, rather than swapping depth pieces in and out like Wade, Lockridge, and Orneals, and lets the Padres put Sheets at designated hitter to hide his below-average glove.

Houston Astros

The Astros never truly resolved their left field problem from last offseason. Their "solution"? Sign Brendan Rodgers to play second base, alongside utility man Mauricio Dubon, and move longtime second baseman Jose Altuve to left field. To say that it’s been an adventure for Altuve would be an understatement.

Aside from just six innings at shortstop, Altuve has never played any other position on the diamond since making his MLB debut in 2011. The only other position he has started a game at as a professional is third base, which he did once at High-A in 2010, and five times in the Venezuelan Winter League during the 2010-2011 offseason.

Altuve’s defense in left field definitely looks like a player who hasn’t played the outfield as a professional in a career that started in 2007. Altuve has -8 defensive runs saved and -4 outs above average in just 307 innings. Even then, he is still seeing a lot of time at second base, with 244 frames there this season, and has started 23 games as a designated hitter. He’s continued to put up solid numbers with the bat, posting a .788 OPS, .338 wOBA, and 118 wRC+, but Altuve clearly isn’t suited for left field.

Astros’ left fielders as a whole have an 87 wRC+ with a zero fWAR. Acquiring some left field depth like Pham would let the Astros play Altuve at his natural position more frequently, as well as at designated hitter. Rodgers hasn’t done much in an Astros uniform either, so Pham could push him off the roster.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners do not need much help in left field, as Randy Arozerena is having a fine season. However, right field has given the Mariners fits this year. Their right fielders have hit a meager .223/.267/.369 with a .227 wOBA, and 81 wRC+. They also haven’t done well with the glove either. M’s right fielders have -2 defensive runs saved, and -5 outs above average. Overall, their -0.7 fWAR ranks 27th in baseball.

Victor Robles entered the year as their primary right fielder. He excelled down the stretch with the M’s, batting .328/.393/.467 in parts of 77 games and 262 plate appearances after he was let go by the Washington Nationals. The M’s were so confident in Robles’ end to the 2025 season, they extended him after the campaign. However, he has missed most of the year with a shoulder injury after colliding with the netting on a catch in foul territory, and has appeared in just 10 contests.

The Mariners then turned to former Texas Rangers outfielder Leody Taveras for help. However, Tavares struggled, slashing just .174/.198/.272 through 28 games and 98 plate appearances. He ended up getting designated for assignment just about a month after he was claimed off waivers. While he was outrighted to Triple-A, it doesn’t seem like the M’s would want him as their answer to right field.

Since Taveras was DFA’d, the Mariners have used a myriad of players in right field. Luke Raley is back in action, but he mostly plays just against right-handed pitching and splits his playing time at first base. Dylan Moore can also play right field, but he is better suited for a utility role, rather than sticking at one position.