Padres Interested in Bringing Back Ex-Friar Free Agent Outfielder: Report

Could the Padres bring back Tommy Pham?

The San Diego Padres are reportedly still searching to add one more veteran outfielder to their roster.

According to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, they could bring back a familiar name in Tommy Pham.

The Padres continue to seek more proven outfield help; free agent and former San Diego left fielder Tommy Pham remains among the team’s potential options, according to league sources.

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Dennis Lin via The Athletic

Since playing in San Diego during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Pham has spent time with the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

His performance with the Diamondbacks through the latter part of the season and the playoffs showed that Pham is still a valuable hitter. In the playoffs alone, he slashed .279/.297/.475 line with a trio of homers across 16 postseason games.

Overall, Pham hit 16 homers with a combined .256/.328/.446 batting line through 481 plate appearances, and also stole 22 bases in 25 attempts in 2023.

The Padres only have three outfielders listed on their roster, but could make it four with Jackson Merrill's surprisingly impressive start to spring training. He hasn't played above Double-A — or had much time to acclimate to left field — but so far he has the support of his teammates and coaches.

Adding a veteran outfielder would only help with developing younger players like Merrill and José Azócar. If the price is right, Pham could fill a valuable role for a Padres team looking to move on from a disappointing 2023 season.