The trade deadline might be over, but the Chicago White Sox are continuing to look for ways to bolster their outfield depth, particularly against left-handed pitching.
On Monday, the White Sox acquired Tommy Pham from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations, along with adding outfielder Jake Cave from the Tampa Bay Rays. Pham is expected to be with the team Tuesday night in Houston.
Even though the trade deadline has passed, the moves are permitted because both players were on minor league deals and had not been added to their clubs’ 40-man rosters.
Pham is a puzzling fit on paper. He doesn’t represent a clear upgrade over any of the White Sox current outfielders, and carries a questionable track record of on- and off-the-field incidents, which at times have spilled over to social media.
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But Pham brings plenty of postseason experience and boosts a solid resume over his 13-year career, hitting .256 with a .749 OPS. But more importantly for the White Sox, he is a right-handed bat in a lineup dominated with left-handers.
Monday’s starting lineup against the Houston Astros featured five left-handed bats, along with switch-hitter Braden Montgomery. That’s part of what has made Randal Grichuk so valuable for the White Sox this season: his ability to punish left-handed pitching.
Since joining the White Sox, Grichuk has primarily started against left-handed starters, while also providing a dangerous right-handed bat off the bench when a right-handed starter exits the game.
Pham gives the White Sox another option off the bench, with Will Venbale telling MLB.com that there will be opportunities for the 38-year-old against left-handed pitching.
“As you look at it broadly, our need for a right-handed bat against left-handed pitching is something that we’re really excited about,” Venable said. “And then the human being, the teammate, the edge that he brings, kind of who he is as a total player. I think he’s going to make a real big impact here.”
Pham played 70 games for the White Sox in 2024 before being traded in a three-team deal involving the Dodgers and Cardinals that sent Miguel Vargas to Chicago and Pham and Erick Fedde to St. Louis. Now that trio will share a clubhouse.
Andrew Benintendi, who was part of that 121-loss 2024 team, welcomed the addition, telling MLB.com that Pham is a player who “brings it every single day” and is passionate about winning.
Whether the move translates into wins remains to be seen. Unlike Grichuk, Pham hasn’t shown a significant split between right- and left-handed pitching. For his career, Pham has hit .254 with a .752 OPS against right-handers, compared with a .259 average and .796 OPS against lefties.
As for Cave, it remains unclear whether he will receive an opportunity on the major league roster. The 33-year-old has not appeared in the majors since 2024, spending the 2025 season in the KBO.
Cave slashed .245/.339/.373 in Triple-A Durham this season after signing a minor league deal with the Rays. Over his seven MLB seasons, five of which came with Minnesota, Cave is a career .236 hitter with a .692 OPS.
