Mets’ Tommy Pham Earning Playing Time with Hot Streak

New York Mets outfielder Tommy Pham has never been one to be called shy, nor will he back down from a challenge. Whether it’s on the field or in fantasy football, Pham is a competitor; when pressed into action or backed against a wall, he can deliver when he needs it the most.

Case in point: a recent story in The Athletic written by Will Sammon chronicled a story where Pham, along with a few other veteran Mets players, was called into manager Buck Showalter‘s office to discuss the division of playing time. The Mets had just called up prospect Mark Vientos, as the team was looking for a spark plug on offense.

According to Pham’s account, Showalter presented him with a paper that had a profound impact on him. The Mets’ analytics team had indicated that the right-hand-hitting Pham should start only against lefties. This recommendation disregarded his successful track record against right-handers. From Pham’s perspective, the paper conveyed a message that regardless of his previous accomplishments, he would make only limited contributions to the team’s success. This realization didn’t sit well with him, prompting him to take action.

“From that day, it was always my point now to prove a good ‘[bleep] you’ message to our analytics department to show them that I can hit righties,” Pham said. “You don’t get the career that I’ve had by only hitting lefties. So, now, I am trying to prove a [bleeping] point.”

Action is once again Pham’s calling card, as he has been the Mets’ best hitter since mid-May. In his last 15 contests, Pham is 17-for-49, a .347 average, with six doubles, one triple, four homers, and 17 RBIs in that span. His OPS following the May 16th game was .632. Since then, his OPS now sits at .809 after his game-tying, two-run home run in the fifth inning of Sunday’s game versus the Cardinals.

In a game that had no shortage of offense, the Mets continued to crawl back. Pham’s seventh homer of the season was the high point. In the bottom of the fifth, on an 87 mph breaking ball from reliever Chris Stratton in a 1-2 count, Pham hit a two-run blast to tie the game at seven.

TOMMY TIES IT ???? pic.twitter.com/PRhxfC9utl

— New York Mets (@Mets) June 18, 2023

“Every team goes through a winning stretch—that is just baseball,” Pham said. “We haven’t had ours yet, and that is a good thing.”

Despite the Mets’ loss in the game, there was a silver lining: Pham has discovered a winning formula in a season filled with disappointments. The return of Pete Alonso immediately bolstered the lineup’s scoring potential. Due to the struggles of former Met Darin Ruf and current designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach, the Mets had to explore other options at DH. Although not playing full-time in that role, Pham has excelled there over the past month and seems to be earning more playing time.

Considering Starling Marte‘s struggles at the plate, if Pham continues to perform at his current level, he could be given more opportunities in the outfield. Defense, rather than run-scoring, is the team’s primary reason for playing Marte over Pham. However, Showalter may benefit from riding the hot hand and granting Pham additional playing time to bolster the offense.

When Pham signed with the team in the offseason, he was seen as a complementary piece. While the Mets still seemingly consider him a secondary option on offense, he’s been one of their foremost contributors in recent weeks. That in and of itself should allow for a longer look at Pham in the lineup. At this point, it’s worth a shot, as the Mets should be willing to try anything at their disposal to keep this season’s playoff hopes in reach.

The post Mets’ Tommy Pham Earning Playing Time with Hot Streak first appeared on Metsmerized Online.