The Royals are strengthening their outfield by adding two seasoned players, having claimed both Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman off waivers. According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, Pham was picked up from the Cardinals after they designated him for assignment, and Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported that Grossman was claimed from the Rangers, who had placed him on waivers earlier in the week
Pham is now on his third team in just over a month, moving from the White Sox to the Cardinals as part of a three-team trade with the Dodgers at the trade deadline. The Cardinals had hoped Pham and right-hander Erick Fedde would enhance their lineup and rotation as they pushed for the playoffs, but their performance was lackluster, with the team posting an 11-16 record in August. Pham himself struggled, hitting .206/.286/.368 in 77 plate appearances during his brief time with St. Louis.
Seeking more playing time and a chance to join a contender, Pham had discussed a release with the Cardinals, and that request has now been fulfilled with his move to the Royals. For the Cardinals, letting Pham go opens up more playing time for Jordan Walker and saves some payroll. Pham has about $480K remaining on his $3MM salary for the 2024 season, and Kansas City will cover the rest.
Since the waiver claim occurred before September 1, Pham is eligible for the Royals’ postseason roster if they make the playoffs. After a rough 2023 season with 106 losses, the Royals have already exceeded last year’s win total with a 75-61 record. They currently hold the second AL wild card spot and are 2.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central race.
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