HOUSTON — Tommy Pham was with the Chicago White Sox during a portion of the very tough times in 2024.
He is returning to an organization that’s making a playoff push.
The Sox acquired the veteran outfielder from the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday for cash considerations.
“I’m really excited about Tommy Pham coming,” manager Will Venable said before Monday’s game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. “As you look at it broadly, our need for a right-handed bat against left-handed pitching is something that we’re really excited about.
“And then the human being, the teammate, the edge that he brings, kind of who he is as a total player. I think he’s going to make a real big impact here.”
It was one of two deals the Sox swung for outfielders. Later Monday afternoon, the Sox made a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, acquiring Jake Cave.
Pham spent a portion of the 2024 season with the Sox, slashing .266/.330/.380 with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 70 games. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals along with pitcher Erick Fedde as part of the three-team deal in July 2024 in which the Sox landed third baseman Miguel Vargas from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Pham, 38, signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies in June — making him eligible to be acquired after the major-league trade deadline — and spent the last two months with their Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley. He hit .250 with three home runs and 25 RBIs in 44 games for the IronPigs.
Pham has a career .256/.344/.421 slash line with 149 home runs and 522 RBIs in 1,250 games over 13 major-league seasons with the Cardinals (2014-18, ’24), Tampa Bay Rays (2018-19), San Diego Padres (2020-21), Cincinnati Reds (2022), Boston Red Sox (2022), New York Mets (2023, 2026), Arizona Diamondbacks (2023), White Sox (2024), Kansas City Royals (2024) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2025).
“I had him in Boston for a few months there, and he was honestly one of my favorite players to coach,” Venable said. “I think that he challenges everything around him because he’s so smart, he’s so thoughtful about how he goes about it. He’s honest. Convicted in what he believes in.
“He’s just a good player that’s really smart and super professional.”
Pham appeared in nine games this year with the Mets, going 0-for-13. He was designated for assignment by the Mets in late April and played 16 games for Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk before being released on June 12. His first game with Lehigh Valley was on July 2.
He would add plenty of playoff-race experience to a young Sox team that is in first place in the American League Central.
Pham has played in playoff games for the Cardinals (2015), Rays (2019), Padres (2020), Diamondbacks (2023) and Royals (2024). He is a career .315 postseason hitter, including batting .421 in the 2023 World Series.
“A ton of experience, he’s been in every situation, he understands what it means to be in meaningful games down the stretch,” Venable said. “He knows what it means to play playoff games. He understands what it means to just perform and exist in high-leverage situations.
“I think that’s one of the many reasons I think it’s going to be good for him, for our young group to have another voice, another person who’s experienced things that these young guys can lean on.”
Cave, 33, hit .245 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 36 games this season at Triple-A Durham. He last appeared in the big leagues in 2024, playing 123 games for the Colorado Rockies.
Cave has a career .236/.292/.400 slash line with 45 home runs and 176 RBIs in 523 games during seven major-league seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2018-22), Philadelphia Phillies (2023) and Rockies (2024). He spent 2025 in the Korea Baseball Organization.
“He’s another guy that has a ton of experience that we’re excited to add to the organization,” Venable said. “What his opportunity looks like with us up here in the future, can’t tell you, don’t really know. But excited to add to the organization.”
Venable said the Sox will “figure it out” in terms of working Pham into an outfield mix.
“He’ll find a way in there against left-handed starters,” Venable said. “And then maybe be a second right-handed bat after (Randal Grichuk) with right-handed starters. There’s going to be at-bats for him, there’s going to be opportunities for him.”
Jordan Leasure undergoes surgery
Sox reliever Jordan Leasure underwent successful surgery on Aug. 17 to repair a UCL tear in his right elbow, the team announced on Monday.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas. Leasure is expected to be ready for spring training 2028.
Leasure had a 6.27 ERA in 18 outings (one start) this season. He had 18 strikeouts and eight walks in 18 2/3 innings.
