Tommy Pham just played his first game in a Royals uniform on September 1st after being placed on waivers by the Cardinals on August 29th. There had been rumors about a connection between Tommy Pham and the Royals organization since before the trade deadline while he was with the White Sox. He was traded by the White Sox in a three-team deal that also included the Dodgers on July 29th and had several moving pieces.
While the Royals did not land Pham before the deadline, the Cardinals honored his request to be waived about a month after the deadline and the Royals swooped in. Pham is an experienced veteran at 36-years-old and has played for a slew of teams over his 11-year career. He brings a lot of experience with him to this young team, and we have heard a lot about his competitive spirit and all that he can bring to the Royals’ clubhouse. With this late move and the number of injuries that have been piling up for the Royals, I think a lot of people are wondering what role Pham will play for this team and how he will fit in on the roster, not just in the clubhouse.
What are the Royals’ current struggles at the plate?
To start, the Royals have struggled to find a guy that is a consistent leadoff hitter all season and have rotated through a few guys in the process. Pham brings some consistency in that spot, with a high OBP that the Royals have been hunting for in front of Bobby Witt Jr. When Pham was with the White Sox this year his OBP was .330, which would place him 5th on the Royals’ active roster (behind Witt, Fermín, Pérez, and Pasquantino). He also brings a .266 AVG, which would also put him 5th on the Royals’ roster. Additionally, he is able to do this against both left-handers and right-handers, as he has a .323 OBP versus lefties and .317 versus righties. These are things the Royals have been hunting for all season, especially from batters in the leadoff spot. Pham is very familiar batting leadoff, which makes him a great fit in Kansas City.
How can Pham’s strengths benefit the Royals?
This season the Royals have really pushed the message of putting the ball in play and getting timely hits. One of the things Pham does to accomplish that is putting together competitive at bats, as he averages 4.5 pitches per AB. This makes him a tough out, and while he will strike out some, he tends to put pressure on the pitcher as he drives up their pitch count. He is always a threat to get a hit and will work his way to the pitch he likes, putting the ball in play consistently. These are some of my favorite things that Pham brings to the table.
Pham doesn’t come with a ton of power, but he still tends to find the outfield gaps often. The hard contact he makes is reflected by his xBA (expected batting average) of .278 and his average exit velocity of 90.5 MPH. Last year, he finished in the top 7% of MLB players in exit velocity. He has above average bat speed and has a hard-hit percentage of 41.4%, which is slightly above league average. All of these numbers suggest that Pham is not only a good fit for the Royals, but a great player to place in the leadoff spot consistently night in and night out.
Pham has always been a quality fastball hitter and does a good job getting his quick bat speed to the ball. In 2023 we saw him have a .285 BA against fastballs, an area where he was at his best. He’s about average against other pitch-types. It’s important to mention he doesn’t chase those pitches out of the zone and ranks in the top 3% of MLB hitters in Whiff rate.
Pham doesn’t bring much to the table defensively
Pham has never been known as much more than a league average fielder and has been a bit worse this year than in years past. Pham will likely play a lot of right field, and some left field on off days for Melendez, but the Royals aren’t looking for him to be an elite fielder if he is performing well at the plate. He is a solid athlete, but as his career has gone on, his slower sprint speed has impacted his play in the field and ability to steal bases.
The final verdict
I am a big fan of Pham. I think he’s a great player who slots right into the leadoff spot and picks up some of the offense they lost when Vinnie got hurt. The 36-year-old veteran can generally be counted on to get on base at a high clip and put together good at-bats every game. I think he is someone we will see in the lineup consistently as a regular part of the rotation. He will be solid in the field and on the bases but may not blow you away with his speed. I believe he will bring a lot to the team both at the plate and in the clubhouse. The Royals need a spark after all the injuries that have piled up, and I have hope that Pham will be able to bring some stability and energy that will motivate the team down the homestretch.
Image credit: Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports
