History of Tommy Pham in Timeline

Tommy Pham is a professional baseball outfielder currently playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has had a journeyman career in MLB, playing for numerous teams including the Cardinals, Rays, Padres, Reds, Red Sox, Mets, Diamondbacks, White Sox, and Royals. His career reflects stints with various organizations, showcasing his experience and adaptability within the league.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1900: First Cardinals Batter Since 1900

In 2017, Tommy Pham became the first Cardinals batter since 1900 to record at least a .300 average, 20 home runs, 20 doubles, and 20 stolen bases in the same season.

March 8, 1988: Tommy Pham Born

On March 8, 1988, Thomas James Pham was born. He is an American professional baseball outfielder.

2006: Minor League Debut

In 2006, Tommy Pham began his minor league career with the Rookie League Johnson City Cardinals, batting .231 with one home run. He played shortstop and committed 22 errors in 37 games.

2006: Cardinals Draft Pham

In 2006, Tommy Pham was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 16th round of the MLB draft, leading him to choose professional baseball over college. He received a $325,000 signing bonus.

2007: Shift to Outfield

In 2007, Tommy Pham was shifted to the outfield. He batted .188 with two home runs for the Low-A Batavia Muckdogs and Single-A Swing of the Quad Cities.

2008: Struggles in Single-A

In 2008, Tommy Pham batted .203 with a career-high 156 strikeouts for Single-A Quad Cities and the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals.

2008: Tommy Pham Experiences Vision Issues

In 2008, Tommy Pham began experiencing vision issues due to keratoconus, a rare eye disorder that causes degenerative vision.

2009: Continued Play in High-A

In 2009, Tommy Pham batted .232 in 380 plate appearances in High-A.

2009: Tommy Pham Starts Wearing Contact Lenses

In 2009, Tommy Pham began wearing contact lenses to correct his vision, achieving 20/15 vision in both eyes.

2010: Wrist Fracture

In 2010, Tommy Pham suffered a small fracture in his wrist.

June 2011: Wrist Ligament Tear

In June 2011, Tommy Pham tore a wrist ligament during a game. He played 40 games and batted .294.

2012: Torn Shoulder Labrum

In early 2012, Tommy Pham suffered a torn left shoulder labrum, which sidelined him for most of the season. He batted .154 for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals.

2013: Another Labrum Tear

After being promoted to Triple-A Memphis Redbirds in 2013, Tommy Pham tore his other labrum. He batted .264 for Memphis in 30 games, and .301 for Springfield in 45 games.

September 7, 2014: MLB Debut

On September 7, 2014, Tommy Pham was called up to the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals for the first time.

2014: Strong Season in Memphis

In 2014, Tommy Pham played most of the season for Memphis, batting .324/.395/.491 with 63 runs scored, 16 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs and 44 RBIs.

July 3, 2015: Cardinals Recall Pham

On July 3, 2015, the Cardinals recalled Tommy Pham to the major league club.

2016: 2016 Season Performance

In 2016, Tommy Pham batted .226 in 78 games, with a high strikeout percentage against left-handed pitchers (41.7%).

2016: Opening Day Injury

In 2016, Tommy Pham was selected for the Cardinals' Opening Day roster but injured his left oblique during batting practice on Opening Day.

May 7, 2017: Two Home Runs vs. Braves

On May 7, 2017, Tommy Pham hit two home runs versus the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park, contributing to a 6-4 victory.

2017: Starts Season in Memphis

In 2017, Tommy Pham did not make the Opening Day roster and began the season at Memphis.

July 31, 2018: Traded to Tampa Bay Rays

On July 31, 2018, the Cardinals traded Tommy Pham to the Tampa Bay Rays for minor leaguers Justin Williams, Génesis Cabrera, and Roel Ramírez, along with $500,000 of international bonus pool money.

2018: Starting Center Fielder

Prior to the 2018 season, the Cardinals named Tommy Pham their starting center fielder.

April 5, 2019: Reached Base Streak

On April 5, 2019, Tommy Pham reached base for the 40th straight game, setting the longest streak in Rays history.

December 6, 2019: Traded to San Diego Padres

On December 6, 2019, Tommy Pham and Jake Cronenworth were traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Hunter Renfroe, Xavier Edwards, and a player to be named later (Esteban Quiroz).

March 2020: Player to be named later named

In March 2020, Esteban Quiroz was named as the player to be named later, in the trade between Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres.

August 16, 2020: Fractured Hamate Bone

On August 16, 2020, Tommy Pham suffered a fractured hamate bone in his left hand and underwent surgery, causing him to miss a month of action.

October 11, 2020: Tommy Pham Stabbed in San Diego

On October 11, 2020, Tommy Pham was stabbed during a fight in San Diego and underwent surgery at UC San Diego Health.

October 2020: Stabbing Incident

In October 2020, Tommy Pham was involved in an altercation outside a strip club in San Diego, during which he was stabbed in his lower back and required 200 stitches after undergoing surgery.

2020: Wrist Surgery

Later in the 2020 offseason, Tommy Pham underwent surgery to address a tear in the cartilage on the small finger side of his left wrist.

2021: 2021 Season Performance

In 2021, Tommy Pham batted .229 with 15 home runs and 14 stolen bases. He led the major leagues with 30 pinch hitting appearances. On November 3, the Padres granted him free agency.

March 26, 2022: Signed with Cincinnati Reds

On March 26, 2022, Tommy Pham signed a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2023 with the Cincinnati Reds.

August 1, 2022: Traded to Boston Red Sox

On August 1, 2022, Tommy Pham was traded to the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

November 10, 2022: Declined Mutual Option

On November 10, 2022, the Red Sox and Tommy Pham declined a mutual option, making him a free agent.

January 24, 2023: Signed with New York Mets

On January 24, 2023, Tommy Pham signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the New York Mets.

August 1, 2023: Traded to Arizona Diamondbacks

On August 1, 2023, the Mets traded Tommy Pham to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Jeremy Rodriguez. Pham played DH, left field, and right field for the Diamondbacks who made the World Series.

2023: Mutual Option for 2023

Tommy Pham signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds, which includes a mutual option for 2023.

April 15, 2024: Signed Minor League Contract

On April 15, 2024, Tommy Pham signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox.

July 29, 2024: Tommy Pham Traded to St. Louis Cardinals

On July 29, 2024, Tommy Pham was traded by the White Sox to the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a three-team deal. The trade also involved the Los Angeles Dodgers, with multiple players being exchanged between the teams.