New Reds OF Pham feels urgency to hit in 2022

GOODYEAR, Ariz.— For two weeks, outfielder Tommy Pham watched the rest of the players across MLB report to spring training. He was waiting for the right offer in free agency, knowing that every day he went without a deal would mean more of a head start for the rest of the league.

Pham, 34, has played at an All-star level for stretches of his eight-year career. But he struggled in 2021 and became one of the last everyday starters left on the free-agent market during this offseason.

On Saturday, Pham signed a oneyear contract with the Cincinnati Reds to be a starting outfielder. He said he saw the Reds as a good fit for a bounceback season, and he will get the opportunity to go on what he called “a revenge tour.”

“I'm playing to get some numbers, I don't care about anything else,” Pham said. “I got to look out for me. At the end of the day baseball is going to move on without me. I got to get mine right now.”

Pham met Reds manager David Bell in the early 2010s when they were both with the St. Louis Cardinals. Pham was a minor league prospect. Bell was the Cardinals assistant hitting coach, so he spent most of his time around the batting cage.

“He was always the last guy in the cage, and it seemed like for hours he'd be there working on stuff,” Bell said. “He's a guy who really earned everything and worked extremely hard to get to where he is.”

Bell later coached Pham in the majors and saw him turn into a starter. Pham's combination of power, speed and athleticism made him a key part of those Cardinals teams. In the process, Pham developed a relationship with division rival and Reds first baseman Joey Votto. Pham said he often texts with Votto about hitting, and he joked that Votto “helped me get my swing right.“

When Pham hit free agency, he valued playing for the Reds because of his relationship with the manager and their franchise player.

“Out of my options, I looked at this team, the park, the manager,” Pham said. “I have a great history with (Bell), I love him from my time in St. Louis and I get to get with one of my hitting coaches Joey Votto.”

After trading Jesse Winker and losing Nick Castellanos in free agency, the Reds were looking for a starting outfielder.

“He's going to add a lot to our team, and he has turned himself into a really good player,” Bell said. “His track record speaks for itself.”

Last year, Pham hit .229 with 24 doubles, 15 homers, 49 RBIS, and had 14 stolen bases. He had positives and negatives in his 2021 season.