Mets Recall Tommy Pham to Address Outfield Woes

The New York Mets are set to recall veteran outfielder Tommy Pham from the minors, according to a report from Will Sammon of The Athletic. Pham signed a non-roster deal with the club on Opening Day and is expected to join the team in Los Angeles for their series against the Dodgers. The Mets will add him to the 40-man roster before activating him, a move that could happen as soon as tomorrow.

Pham’s addition comes at a critical time for the Mets' struggling outfield. Star slugger Juan Soto is currently on the injured list with a calf strain and is expected to miss at least two weeks. In his absence, the Mets have leaned on rookie Carson Benge, infielder Brett Baty, and bench players Tyrone Taylor and Jared Young. None of them have inspired confidence at the plate.

Benge, a top-20 prospect, is hitting .130/.231/.196 in 14 games. Baty, who saw more time last season, is at a 60 wRC+ with a 29.4% strikeout rate. Taylor is hitting .211/.250/.421 with a 91 wRC+ in 2024, while Young has only 56 career MLB games under his belt. The Mets clearly need more consistency in the corners.

Pham is no stranger to the Mets. He spent 79 games with the club in 2023, slashing .268/.348/.472 with a 124 wRC+. That strong performance earned him a trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the deadline. Now, the Mets hope he can return to that form.

Since 2020, Pham has hit .241/.323/.384 with a 96 wRC+ across 624 games. That’s slightly below league average, but for a 38-year-old with a long MLB résumé, it’s still valuable. He has made at least 116 appearances in each of the past eight full seasons and has played for 10 different teams.

Pham’s presence should stabilize the Mets’ outfield and provide some veteran leadership. He brings a career 111 wRC+ over 1,200 games. The Mets had hoped to carry Mike Tauchman on their Opening Day roster, but his season was delayed by meniscus surgery.

With Pham on the way, the Mets are preparing for a quick roster move. He is expected to arrive in L.A. and could be activated before the series begins. The team will monitor his performance and see if he can help turn around the offense. The next step is to watch how Pham fits into the lineup and if he can help the Mets win in a tough NL West matchup.