No, this is not TMZ dot com, but somehow it feels like it. This afternoon it was reported that there was something that took place during batting practice that resulted in players from both teams running into the outfield. Mark Sheldon of Reds.com got a short video of the aftermath.
This is all I could see. pic.twitter.com/wUPN4VSvjt
— Mark Sheldon (@m_sheldon) May 27, 2022
A little bit after that it was reported that the situation was between Tommy Pham and Joc Pederson, but that no immediate details were available. Right before the game began there was a change to the lineup and Pham was no longer in it. He had been slated to hit 3rd and to be the designated hitter on the night. He was replaced by Alejo Lopez.
C. Trent Rosecrans and Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic report that Pham was scratched from the lineup because he slapped Joc Pederson in the face….. over something involving a fantasy football league.
Shortly after the story came out and early in the actual game, the Cincinnati Reds announced that Tommy Pham agreed to not play in the game and that Major League Baseball was investigating the incident.
What a time to be alive.
Update: May 28, 1:15am
Here is Joc Pederson after the game explaining the situation
Joc shares details of what happened in his fantasy football league that started his altercation with Tommy Pham today pic.twitter.com/d9NBTwPVoG
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 28, 2022
Update: May 28, 2:30pm
Tommy Pham has been suspended for 3 games. We wrote more about it here, and there’s now video of the incident available, too.
What a hot head. I’m afraid we are stuck with this numb skull for the rest of the year.
a grown man fighting over fantasy football. Jeez, what’s next-dungeons and dragons?
While it certainly wasn’t the brightest thing to do at the ripe age of 68 I myself have shared a few ah shoot moments. Let’s give the kid a break.
Jim that problem is there seem to be a pattern with Tommy Pham. Getting stabbed at a strip club, getting into t with Red’s fans last season, discussing 2022 as your “revenge tour”, challenging Luke Voight to a fight. Now assaulting someone over fantasy football? I think he has a screw loose.
Votto4life, there does seem like there is a pattern.
Competitive fire is one thing. It would seem he has some emotional problems though.
This isn’t the Oscar’s
Tom Reeves wins the Internet today.
“Keep my fantasy football team out yo’ ******* mouth!”
Okay, that was funny.
My guess is that Pham gets suspended for a few games by the Commissioner.
Yeah, I think he has some anger management issues.
Tommy Pham doing his best Will Smith invitation…
Reds want to fight everyone this year
They miss Amir Garrett
And Puig.
Possibly the dumbest thing I’ve heard of in professional sports. He needs to be gone. Period.
Not major league.
Better take the checkerboard away
Wow, the whole thing is incredibly stupid. Nice character addition Reds.
See, this is why I don’t play any fantasy leagues. I mean, I’d have to slap people all day long and the expense of going and finding them would really pile up … 🙂
Seriously, it’s a fantasy league. And it happened some time ago. Get over it and move on. Don’t multiply stupid with stupid.
I put the over/under on games suspended at 3.
All I can say is Wow!
I’m going to invite Tommy to play in our fantasy league. We need an enforcer.
I really don’t mind the team having a player who has a tough reputation. As the Lip used to say “Nice guys finish last.”
Unlike comments above this should not be a racial discussion.
After a lengthy battle, I thought Shogo Akiyama outdueled Moose fair and square for the most impossible to trade contract with zero interest from other teams in being part of a trade piece. But, alas, sprinting out of LF comes Tommy “Hold my Beer” Pham doing his best to tie Shogo in the race for players/contracts nobody wants.
Maybe we are learning why Pham has bounced around from team to team for the past few years. When I first saw this report on Twitter, I had no idea how to react. Slapping someone in public over a fantasy football dispute is not only something that pro athletes shouldn’t do, it’s something that any human adult should not do.
This is all fantastic. Everyone needs to lighten up lol. Rich jocks (jocs?) slapping each other over fantasy games that probably encompass our yearly salary is the icing on the turd cake this season needs. Tommy Phams quotes about this + Joc Pederson’s hair and face = Gold. This is way more entertaining then our daily dose of baseball. Bring in the jomboy breakdown!!!