The Phillies bypassed prime playoff performer Tommy Pham
With the Phillies aiming for World Series or bust this season, should they have gone after a true difference-maker for when the games matter most? If so, perhaps they should have pursued a veteran outfielder Tommy Pham.
Pham profiles similarly to Hays in that he also averages about 20 home runs and 70 RBI per season throughout his 11-year MLB career. But what he brings that Hays doesn’t have is pure speed on the basepaths and a wealth of playoff experience. Even at age 35 last season, Pham managed to go 22-for-25 in steals, while blazing around the bases with 27 doubles and three triples in 129 games.
More importantly, he has been a proven playoff performer after reaching the postseason on four different occasions with four different teams. In 31 playoff games, Pham has a .313 batting average and an .846 OPS, with 15 runs scored, five doubles, six home runs, 10 RBI and six stolen bases. He helped the Arizona Diamondbacks to the World Series last season.
Since joining the Cardinals at the deadline, in just five games with his new team, he's batting an astounding .471 with a 1.382 OPS with four runs scored, one home run and seven RBI. With an immediate impact like that, perhaps Pham was the potential difference-maker the Phillies needed to help get the team back on track.