Reds send Pham to Boston for PTBNL

MIAMI -- It didn't take long for Tommy Pham to make a strong impression behind the scenes during his brief tenure as the Reds' left fielder. Pham wasn't having his best season, but his right-handed bat and postseason experience still drew the interest of clubs.

Out of contention and rebuilding, Cincinnati traded Pham to Bostom on Monday for a player to be named, approximately 24 hours ahead of Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline.

"Tommy was one of the hardest workers that have been around the clubhouse," Reds general manager Nick Krall said. "He was really good, very prepared, took his craft very seriously and worked his butt off. We really enjoyed having him in the clubhouse. With where we are, this allows us to play one of the younger guys. It allows him a chance to get to the playoffs."

The deal came together only a short time before the Reds opened their three-game series vs. Miami. Pham was a late scratch from the starting lineup and was replaced in left field by Matt Reynolds.

"I wasn't warned about it, but I was given the heads-up that, 'If something happens, you're going to be going in.' Then probably 10 minutes later, something happened," Reynolds said. "I got a few swings off the machine, got a few throws in and ran out there and played."

Pham, 34, was signed to a one-year, $7.5 million contract by the Reds on March 26, with a $1.5 million buyout on a $6 million mutual option for 2023. The deal included a $500,000 bonus, should he be traded.

The Reds will likely get a lower-level prospect in return for Pham. The two sides worked out a group of potential candidates, as is standard in player-to-be-named deals.

"This will allow us to go evaluate some of these players and see who the best fit is," Krall said.

This is the third trade the Reds have made leading up to the Deadline. The club moved outfielder Tyler Naquin to the Mets for two Minor Leaguers on Thursday, then sent rotation ace Luis Castillo to the Mariners on Friday for four prospects, including two players in the Top 100 overall rankings by MLB Pipeline.

More trades are possible on Tuesday, with starting pitcher Tyler Mahle and third baseman Brandon Drury leading the list of candidates. Krall shot down a report that the club was working to offer a contract extension to Drury rather than trade him. Making $900,000, the corner infielder can be a free agent after the season.

"It’s not on the table as of right now," Krall said.

With Pham elsewhere, the Reds plan to activate outfielder Aristides Aquino from the injured list after his rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville. Aquino, who has no more Minor League options, has been out since June 13 with a left high ankle sprain. Jake Fraley, Stuart Fairchild and Reynolds are among those who could get extra looks.

"We want to make sure that we’re giving our guys enough plate appearances at the big league level to get experience up here, to get better and continue to improve," Krall said.

When he joined the Reds, Pham referred to the 2022 season as his opportunity for a "revenge tour," to build up his personal offensive numbers after he languished as a free agent well into Spring Training. He did not entirely meet his own expectations as he batted .238 with a .694 OPS, 11 home runs and 39 RBIs in 91 games this season.

Pham has not hit a home run since June 30, a span of 25 games. He finished his tenure with the Reds in a 0-for-10 slump after a three-hit game vs. the Marlins on Thursday.

One of the more bizarre moments of the season involved Pham, who was suspended for three games on May 27 for slapping Giants outfielder Joc Pederson in the face during batting practice. The incident stemmed from an offseason fantasy football dispute.

That didn't change how the Reds viewed Pham.

"He's a competitor man. Man, I've never seen a guy come in and take as many swings as he did," Reynolds said. "He was very precise on his swing and the movements he was wanting to feel. He's a good clubhouse guy. I'm sure people have their opinions about all the stuff that has happened, but as a teammate, he cared, he wanted to win. Man, he was out there every day in BP, shagging, getting reads on balls. It's pretty impressive to see him work. It definitely shows because of the caliber of player he is."