News Every Day | 29 January 2023, 22:00

Tommy Pham Could Be An Exceptional Addition For Mets

Tommy Pham

The New York Mets mean business this off-season as they continue to make moves to ensure they are in a good position for a deep run into the postseason. Owner Steve Cohen has been laser focused and is keen to build on the efforts of the 2022 season when they were able to reach the Wild Card Round of the MLB Playoffs. The Mets were unable to progress from here, though, as they were beaten by the San Diego Padres 2-1 in the NL Wild Card Series Game.

As MMO was first to report early last week, veteran outfielder Tommy Pham agreed to a one-year deal with the Mets.

Pham is an experienced outfielder who has managed to play for a variety of different organizations throughout his major league career. The move to the Mets marks the sixth team of his MLB career. He started at the St. Louis Cardinals (2014–2018), before moving on to the Tampa Bay Rays (2018–2019), the San Diego Padres (2020–2021), the Cincinnati Reds (2022), and the Boston Red Sox (2022).

Tommy Pham. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

According to details of the deal, it is understood the 34-year-old has signed a one-year contract in the Big Apple, with it said to be worth $6 million. However, the outfielder does have the ability to earn more through performance-related bonuses. Depending on the number of plate appearances he makes, he could make another $2 million in addition to his base salary.

Pham has a chance to gain an additional $200,000 for every 25 plate appearance he makes this season, starting from 225 and ending at 450. To kick off his new contract with the team, he was granted a whopping $1 million signing bonus plus an annual salary of $5 million!

Pham Could Be An Exceptional Signing

Many have suggested that Pham’s arrival could be good for the Mets, with the outfielder a smart batter, and perhaps welcomed depth as he could be a right-handed option at the designated hitter spot, complementing Daniel Vogelbach.

He had a productive season with Cincinnati and Boston. His batting average was .236 – 17 home runs, 63 RBIs and an OPS of .686 in 144 games were impressive results from his performance. Even more noteworthy is he scored 89 runs throughout the entire season!

With nine major league seasons under his belt and playing for the Cardinals, Rays, Padres, Reds and Red Sox throughout his career thus far, Pham has amassed an impressive .259 batting average with 114 home runs to add to 97 stolen bases and a remarkable .787 OPS.

Mets Are Working Hard To Be Competitive In 2023

As already revealed, the Mets have been extremely busy during the off-season in order to be as competitive as last year’s campaign. The team managed to accomplish a number of feats that they had not managed to achieve in a while.

They secured just their 10th-ever playoff berth, and achieved their fourth 100-plus win campaign, with the 101–61 record last season being their second-best ever. Nonetheless, despite having led the National League East for most of the season with a 10+1⁄2 game lead at one point, the Mets experienced an underwhelming September. This ultimately cost them an automatic playoff berth.

To try and combat this, Steve Cohen has gone all-in and invested an enormous $498.2 million in 10 major league free agents – even investing a whopping $102 million over five years to secure the signature of All-Star closer Edwin Díaz before other teams had the chance!

Fans in New York will have been pleased to have seen plenty of movement this offseason, especially with sports betting having been made legal over the last 12 months. Those who used the available New York Betting Apps last season will have enjoyed a top experience, and many will now feel the team could be in a better position to challenge once again. Even sportsbooks are suggesting that there could be real success at Citi Field in the future, even with the Mets among the favorites for the World Series.

Of course, those that are interested in potentially wagering on the team in the upcoming campaign will want to know whether their team has what it takes. This will be down to how well the new signings gel and fit in.

Will The New York Mets Have A Successful 2023 MLB Campaign?

Given that the bookmakers have touted the Mets among the forerunners for the MLB World Series, it is not a surprise that many believe 2023 could be an exceptional season for the team.

The organization successfully held onto talent like Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo, while signing Justin Verlander – the recipient of the prestigious Cy Young Award. Additionally, they added Japanese marvel Kodai Senga to their ranks as well as experienced southpaw Jose Quintana among numerous other influential decisions.

Of course, these moves can play a very big part in whether the Citi Field will be the home of the World Champions at the end of the campaign. However, there are a few things that also need to be considered, too.

For instance, the health of individuals such as Verlander and Max Scherzer could be vital to the team’s chances. The former is a sure-fire Hall of Famer, as is the latter. However, with both 40 and 39 respectively, there will be questions about their health and whether they can be fit for a full season. Both have missed significant time in recent years, so there could be some risk regarding the pairing.

Additionally, another concern may be in regard to the offense, with the department looking arguably weak in regard to depth. There is no doubt that they have talented individuals, however the longer the season goes on and if injuries hit, there will be concerns regarding scoring. In contrast, many believe the same of the bullpen, too.

2023 Could Be Exciting For New York Mets’ Fans

As of this moment, 2023 looks as though it could be a rather exciting watch for those at the Citi Field watching the New York Mets. However, there are still questions that need to be answered and uncertainties that need to be put to bed in order for the team to truly challenge for the World Series. But, with a roster of talented players, it is not impossible. This year could well be an exciting one in Queens!