Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham accused a Toronto Blue Jays slugger of taking PEDs in a heated rant on social media.
Pham started a bench-clearing brawl on August 18 in the first game of a three-game series. In the bottom of the seventh inning, after Pham drew a walk, he flipped his bat and had words for Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman, which caused the brawl.
After the game ended, Pham took to social media to rip Heineman and also accused Addison Barger of taking steroids, in a since-deleted tweet.
“Your profile pic is of someone who takes steroids, loser,” Pham wrote to a fan who had Barger as their profile pic.
When a fan called out Pham for accusing Barger of taking steroids, he then claimed he had already popped, so it’s no big deal. However, the Blue Jays slugger has never failed a drug test in the minors or in the MLB.
Barger is hitting .262 with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs in 102 games, as he’s been an impact hitter for Toronto. As for Pham, he’s hitting .260 with 6 home runs and 34 RBIs in 92 games.
Pham Takes Shot at Blue Jays’ Catcher
Not only did Pham accuse Barger of taking steroids, but he also ripped Heineman.
Pham claimed that after he walked, Heineman made a comment, which is why he flipped his bat. That is why the benches cleared in the Pirates-Blue Jays game.
“Bitching about a ball not being called a strike to the umpire when it’s clearly below the zone and away is disrespectful not only to the umpire but the hitter as well so like I said when I flipped the bat (expletive) him @KeeganMatheson dude has two years in the show I know the zone,” Pham wrote on X.
Heineman, meanwhile, claims he didn’t say anything to Pham, and it was odd that he would bat flip a walk.
“He didn’t say a word to me. I didn’t say a word to him. He just looked like he wanted to have a fight,” Heineman said. “I asked the umpire on the 2-0 pitch, ‘You got that just off? It was pretty close right there.’ He looked at me and didn’t say a word, then he bat flipped and looked straight at me. I just put up my arms and he walked towards me. I don’t really know.
“It was weird, man,” Heineman said. “It was weird, t was unprovoked and super weird. I wouldn’t have said anything, but I didn’t really like how he flipped the bat on a four-pitch walk. Little weird. Then he looked right back at me. The video can probably tell you everything, but you’re probably just as confused as I am.”
The Blue Jays are now looking to get back at Pham and the Pirates in Game 2 of the series on August 19.
Blue Jays Not Worried About Pham
After Pham started the brawl and his comments, Blue Jays manager John Schneider says he isn’t worried about the outfielder.
Schneider said the Blue Jays are focused on trying to win their division and not on what Pham is doing.
“I’m not worried about Tommy Pham’s opinion about anything, really,” Schneider said. “I’m worried about our defense, I’m worried about our at-bats and I’m worried about our pitching. That happens in the heat of the moment. We have to worry about us. I haven’t talked to Heineman yet about it, that happened when I was (ejected), but I’m really not worried about what Tommy Pham thinks about anyone.”
The Blue Jays are atop the AL East with a record of 73-53.
Tommy Pham Accuses Blue Jays Slugger of Taking PEDs in Heated Rant