Pirates' Tommy Pham continues turnaround with homer, strong plays in field

Leading into the final week of June, much of the 2025 season to that point could have been considered an exercise in futility for veteran Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham.

Pham struggled immensely to get things going at the plate early, batting .118 in March and .182 in April.

In May, while Pham found a bit of rhythm offensively in terms of his monthly batting average (.293), opportunities decreased as the Pirates underwent a managerial change, with Don Kelly taking over for Derek Shelton beginning May 9.

From there, Alexander Canario’s reps in left field increased, while Pham’s playing time dropped.

But, as the summer months began, Pham started crafting some momentum in the batter’s box, reclaiming playing time and emerging as a regular offensive contributor.

Pham’s performance Monday in Kansas City, in which he accounted for two of his club’s three runs by hitting a 428-foot homer, continued a multi-week stretch of consistently strong play.

Tommy Pham sends one 430 feet for the LEAD pic.twitter.com/ENvQtxZBnt

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 8, 2025

“Great game by Tommy,” Kelly said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “Even the first ball he hit to (Kansas City’s Jonathan) India was 107 (mph) — he smoked it. And then the home run. … He continues to work hard (and) continues to do the things to get better.”

Pham also finished Monday with a walk, in addition to making a pair of nice plays in left field.

Over the past two weeks, Pham has statistically been one of the Pirates’ top players.

Since June 23, he is slashing .371/.421/.629 with a 1.050 OPS, three home runs and 12 RBIs.

That span coincides perfectly with Pham’s June 23 interview with reporters at PNC Park, when, following the Pirates’ 8-3 win over the Texas Rangers, the 37-year-old opened up about his offensive struggles on the year.

In particular, Pham pointed to a frustrating ongoing situation to find ideal contact lenses as a result of his keratoconus, a condition in which the cornea thins and bulges like a cone and creates blurry vision.

“I don’t think it’s really mechanical,” Pham said at the time. “I think it was all visual for me. My prescription’s been off. I’ve been adjusting on the fly. … I’m telling you guys, it’s all visual. My contact situation’s been real complicated. So, we’re heading in a right direction, finally.”

Pham was adamant that his offensive woes were primarily eyesight-related and that he’d finally cracked the code with a proper pair of contacts.

The way he’s been swinging the bat since then suggests Pham was right in his self-diagnosis.

After struggling to maintain a batting average north of the Mendoza Line for much of the year, Pham’s hot streak has him slashing .238/.312/.316 through 62 games played.

All three of his homers have been hit over a 10-game span dating to June 23, along with 12 of his 24 RBIs on the year.

“He’s going the other way, driving the ball to right-center, right field and then catching that one (pitch) out front and hitting that home run here. … He had a great game today,” Kelly said.

On top of another strong offensive showing, Pham made his presence known in the outfield Monday.

In the bottom of the third, with Kansas City having taken a 4-2 lead and threatening to do more damage against starter Andrew Heaney, Pham tracked down a Nick Loftin lineout, making an over-the-shoulder grab to end the inning.

What a catch by Tommy Pham pic.twitter.com/5IDRrlyVKa

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) July 8, 2025

Then, in the sixth, he made a diving grab to rob Bobby Witt Jr. of a base hit.

Granted, Witt still collected an RBI via sacrifice fly, as Kyle Isbel was on third base and managed to score on the play.

This season, Pham ranks third in baseball among left fielders with seven defensive runs saved, per Fielding Bible.

“The two catches, the one (in the third inning) that he went into the gap and jumped, and then the diving catch towards the line … (Pham) continues to play great defense,” Kelly said.