The Boston Red Sox are finalizing a deal to acquire outfielder Tommy Pham from the Cincinnati Reds, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Monday
It wasn’t immediately known the full extent of the trade package.
News of Pham’s addition came shortly after Boston agreed to send longtime catcher Christian Vazquez to the Houston Astros. But Boston moved quickly to replace Vazquez, acquiring catcher Reese McGuire and a player to be named later or cash from the Chicago White Sox for left-handed reliever Jake Diekman, the team announced.
Whether the Red Sox would be a buyer or a seller before Tuesday’s trade deadline had been one of the bigger question marks in baseball. Boston has struggled since the All-Star break, dropping to 51-52 and into last place in the AL East entering Monday. However, it’s just 3.5 games behind the final AL wild card spot.
Pham, 34, was hitting .238 with 11 home runs and 57 runs scored in his first season in Cincinnati — one in which he drew national headlines for a fantasy football dispute that turned physical in May with Joc Pederson of the Giants. Pham has a $1.5 million mutual option in his contract for the 2023 season.
McGuire, 27, has a .225 average in 53 games. He’s eligible for arbitration the next three seasons. A first-round pick of the Pirates in 2013, he’s thrown out 11 of 36 attempted base stealers this season, a 30.6% mark that ranks fourth best in the American League.
Diekman will give Chicago a solid lefty in the bullpen. He’s 5-1 with a 4.23 ERA in a team-high 44 games this season for Boston.
