The Orioles signed a veteran outfielder Tommy Pham to a minor league deal, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez (multiple links). The contract contains an opt-out clause for Pham in early June if he is not placed on Baltimore’s active roster. Pham is represented by Republik Sports.
If Pham’s contract is chosen and he appears in a game for the O’s, he will become the 24th player (and the ninth player) to suit up for 11 different MLB teams during his career. Historically notable aside, Pham’s first priority is getting his 2026 season off to a good start, as he made 14 plate appearances and nine games for the Mets earlier this season.
Pham played almost the entire season without signing, as he did not receive a contract with the Mets for his former minors until March 26. After working out in extended Spring Training and then playing four games of A-ball, New York picked up Pham’s contract on April 12, but his lack of production led to a DFA in late April. Pham then elected to become a free agent after clearing waivers, rather than accept an outright assignment to the Mets’ Triple-A club.
While reading too much into his 14 PA this season isn’t ideal, Pham has only hit .240/.321/.382 over 2730 PA since Opening Day 2020, which translates to a 96 wRC+. His only full seasons of above-average offense in that stretch were 2021 (103 wRC+) and 2023 (109 wRC+), and his split against left-handed pitching is nothing special.
The constant changing of uniforms may be one reason for this consistent performance, and Pham has had a habit of playing hard throughout his career. In the 2025 season Pham stayed with one team the entire season, hitting .245/.330/.370 over 449 PA for the Pirates.
What Pham still has in the tank at age 38 remains to be seen, but there is no risk to the Orioles in making moves to sign minor leaguers. Making the New York roster guaranteed Pham’s $2.25MM salary in 2026, so the O’s would only owe him a split portion of the remaining $1.65MM for any time Pham spends on Baltimore’s 26-man roster (with the Mets on the hook for others).
Taylor Ward again Tyler O’Neill they are the Orioles’ primary corner outfielders, and like Pham, both are right-handed hitters. This means that Pham’s paths to his usual spots are more restricted, even though O’Neill is struggling at the plate, and Pham could be a deep option for the O’s in a broader sense given the other injury issues.
Ryan Mountcastle it’s in IL for 60 days too Jordan Westburg ended the season, leaving Baltimore short of two right-handed bats. In a foreign country, Dylan Beavers again Heston Kjerstad (both left-handed hitters) are in the IL though Kjerstad is progressing through a minor league rehab assignment. The O’s would like to keep them Samuel Basallo as a regular designated hitter whenever he does not spell Adley Rutschman behind the plate, but since Basallo is a left-handed hitter, Pham could be considered a fill-in DH if the Orioles face a left-handed contender.
