Getty Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham remains on the free-agent market. Should Jed Hoyer and the Cubs make a last-second deal to bolster the roster?
The Chicago Cubs are entering 2024 with aspirations of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2020. A slow-moving free-agent market may give them one final opportunity to bolster the roster ahead of Opening Day. Should president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer make a run at veteran outfielder Tommy Pham?
Jon Conahan of Sports Illustrated’s FanNation thinks Chicago should try making a last-minute deal for the right-handed hitter. “The need for Pham is clear, especially with the aspirations that Chicago is looking to have this year. With the playoffs being their goal, they don’t want to look back and wish they could’ve done more throughout the offseason.
“Suppose Cody Bellinger doesn’t have the season he had in 2023, Seiya Suzuki doesn’t hit the way he did in the second half last year, and others don’t step up. If that’s the case, this offense won’t nearly be as good as it needs to be in order to accomplish what the organization is hoping for.”
Pham split the 2023 season with the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks. He hit .256/.328/.446 with 16 home runs, 68 RBI, 55 runs scored and 22 steals across 481 plate appearances. Pham also appeared in 16 postseason games for Arizona, resulting in a .772 OPS and three home runs.
Spotrac has pegged Pham’s market value at $8.3 million. But with Opening Day nearing, any team that signs him will almost certainly be paying him less than that.
How Could Tommy Pham Help the Cubs?
Adding Pham to the Cubs would reinforce their offensive mix, as Conahan mentioned. If some of Chicago’s expected contributors experience negative regression — like Bellinger or Christopher Morel — Pham acts as a safety net.
Suppose Michael Busch continues to struggle at the big-league level and manager Craig Counsell decides to slide Bellinger into a regular role at first base. Pham could then provide another capable bat that has played all three outfield positions in recent years.
Conahan noted that Chicago’s front office seems to believe in the roster as it’s currently constructed. That’s probably part of the reason why the Cubs didn’t seriously pursue slugger J.D. Martinez as he lingered on the open market. However, adding Pham likely won’t break the bank and it would hypothetically only help the Cubs’ hopes of contending for a postseason spot.
Who Else Is Seriously Pursuing the Outfielder?
Although Pham has been a free agent all winter, he’s had significant interest in his services. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale noted on March 17 that as many as eight MLB teams have been in touch with the 10-year veteran throughout the winter.
The San Diego Padres have been recently negotiating with Pham and hope to sign him to a deal within the $3-4 million range. San Diego’s main competition regarding the outfielder is the Chicago White Sox, per Nightengale.
Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projections have the Cubs finishing second behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2024 National League Central race. It’s accompanied by an 81.5-win projection and 37.6% odds of reaching the playoffs. Adding another veteran bat with recent postseason experience like Pham would be a plus. However, it seems likely that the outfielder will eventually land elsewhere to start the year.