Latest Tommy Pham quote paints shockingly different outlook on Pirates' future

The rollercoaster of a season for Tommy Pham has been quite fun to watch. Well, it's been entertaining since he got hot in June, unlike the beginning of the season where his OPS stayed below .500. After all the drama with the Blue Jays, the twitter beef, and intriguing comments from Pham, the future in Pittsburgh looks a little different then fans initially thought.

First of all, Pham might actually return in 2026. There aren't reports to follow that belief — the claim comes from the fact that the Pirates held on to him past the trade deadline and still have not placed him on outright waivers for a contender to grab. Pittsburgh clearly likes what Pham has brought to the organization and his recent heater has made him a top bat in the lineup.

Most importantly, though, is his voice. As we have seen in the series against Toronto, he is not afraid to hold back his words. That, in fact, has played a role in the clubhouse, despite sitting 20 games below .500. Pham went in depth on what his mission has been with the younger guys.

Tommy Pham has message about the state of the Pirates, setting up for surprising future

Pham began speaking highly of this pitching staff, describing it as a playoff group through the rotation and bullpen. There is no sugar coating this offense, but he believes that it is starting to take shape with the recent advice that he and Andrew McCutchen have been giving to the younger guys.

Directly seeing that Pham said, "Things are starting to change here for the better," gives fans a really good feeling. Obviously, when we hear that quote from Ben Cherington, we may roll our eyes at it, but for a guy like Pham to say that is definitely a little more meaningful.

After all, why would Pham care about this teams' future if he had no intention of coming back? Why wouldn't he be outspoken about how poor things are going? He evidently likes Pittsburgh, despite the boos earlier in the season. His leadership role is seemingly playing a part in developing these players and he is embracing that role.

Although the results are not showing yet, this is definitely something to get excited about. Pham may not be an All-Star, but his contributions to this organization have been positive. Re-sign him again and let him be the fourth outfielder in 2026 because his team needs his strong mentality (when applied appropriately) in the clubhouse badly, especially if he can perform at the level he has this summer.