Tommy Pham had been playing in Triple A with the Phillies but will now jump into a postseason race with the White Sox. Joe Sargent / Getty ImagesAug. 31, 2026 2:51 pm EDT Updated In hopes of extending an improbable run to an American League Central title, the Chicago White Sox are reuniting with a player who saw the franchise at its lowest. On Monday, the White Sox acquired outfielder Tommy Pham, a member of the 121-loss team in 2024, from the Philadelphia Phillies, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity in order to speak freely. The White Sox will be sending cash considerations to the Phillies.Chicago is expected to activate Pham when the rosters expand on Tuesday. And he will be eligible for the postseason, as the White Sox look to fend off the Cleveland Guardians for the division crown. Chicago held a 3.5-game lead heading into Monday’s games. The club has already won 72 games in 2026 — 12 more than last season and 31 more than during the misery of 2024.
Pham, 38, has played for three different organizations already in 2026. He went hitless in 14 at-bats spread across nine games for the New York Mets in April. From there he bounced from the Baltimore Orioles to the Phillies. In 44 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Pham batted .250 with .772 OPS.The White Sox can use Pham as a right-handed batter to aid their lineup against left-handed pitching. He also provides postseason experience, as an important cog in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ run to the World Series in 2023. He hit 10 homers with a .700 OPS in 120 games with Pittsburgh last season.— The Athletic’s Matt Gelb contributed reporting to this story.
