The Kansas City Royals claimed outfielder Tommy Pham off waivers on Saturday.
We have claimed OF Robbie Grossman off waivers from the Texas Rangers and OF Tommy Pham off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. We anticipate both players reporting tomorrow.
INF CJ Alexander and C Austin Nola have been designated for assignment.
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 31, 2024
Pham was designated for assignment by the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, which gave the Royals an opportunity to snag the veteran.
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Pham is eligible for the Kansas City postseason roster since he beat Sunday’s deadline. He is expected to report to Kansas City on Sunday, and in turn, the Royals will make any necessary moves to open a spot for him on the 26-man roster.
The Royals have shown interest in Pham since the trade deadline, but St. Louis added him and Erick Fedde in a three-team trade with the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – JULY 31: Tommy Pham #29. And Michael Siani #63 both of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate after beating the Texas Rangers at Busch Stadium on July 31, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. Tommy Pham heads to Kansas City after making departure from the Cardinals on Friday.
Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
In the World Series last year, Pham played a big part in the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup.
The 36-year-old slashed .266/.330/.380 for the White Sox at the start of the season. Pham recorded 14 doubles and five home runs through 70 games in Chicago.
With the Cardinals, Pham slashed .206/.286/.368 in 23 games. The veteran can play both corners in the outfield and he adds an experienced bat to the Kansas City lineup.
Pham could play a role at the top of the lineup since Royals leadoff hitters have posted a bottom-five average in the league this year.
Along with Pham, Kansas City also claimed veteran outfielder Robbie Grossman off waivers from the Texas Rangers.
Grossman also began the season in Chicago. The 34-year-old has a stellar .809 OPS against left-handed pitchers throughout his 12-year career in MLB. Kansas City will likely use Grossman against lefties this season.
Grossman was a member of the Rangers last season when the club won the World Series title. He will likely come off the bench in Kansas City.
In order to make room for the two new additions, the Royals designated infielder CJ Alexander and catcher Austin Nola for assignment. The outfielders also add a veteran presence in the Kansas City clubhouse.
With the addition of Pham, the Royals have secured a .265 career hitter. Pham has recorded 137 homers, 462 RBIs, and 125 steals throughout his 11 seasons in MLB. He’s spent time with several clubs throughout his career, including the Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets.
Pham and Grossman provide much-needed depth for Kansas City in the final month of the season.
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