White Sox make questionable acquisition with Phillies waiver claim before roster expansion

You can never be too prepared for the playoffs, but the Chicago White Sox just made a move for a veteran bat that will leave most fans scratching their heads. No, it wasn’t for Luis Robert Jr., but the move is still just as questionable. 

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the White Sox acquired Tommy Pham from the Philadelphia Phillies just in time for the September 1 roster expansion. That means that he would be eligible to make the White Sox postseason roster.  

If you didn’t realize that Pham was even with the Phillies, you wouldn’t be alone. Pham has spent the majority of the 2026 season collecting various minor league baseball caps for a few organizations. But as a 13-year veteran, he could still provide some valuable at-bats down the stretch for the White Sox. 

In nine games with the New York Mets this season, Pham notched just one hit in 13 at-bats. Despite his lack of MLB playing time in 2026, Pham has still looked competent in the minors. In 44 games with Lehigh Valley in Triple-A, Pham hit .250 while boasting a respectable .772 OPS. He does come to the South Side mired in a bit of a slump though, going 1-25 in his last seven games. 

How can the White Sox benefit from the addition of Tommy Pham? 

Even with divisional rivals hot on their heels, the White Sox are still eyeing the AL Central title. That means that the team must be willing to put all of their cards on the table if they want to play meaningful baseball come October. That includes taking a chance or two when it comes to the roster.     

But no matter how you slice it, the acquisition of Pham came out of left field. That doesn’t mean he’s incapable of serving a purpose with the team. Pham will almost certainly be used exclusively as a DH or in pinch-hitting situations. The 38-year-old has been dreadful in the outfield over the years, so it’s unlikely that he will find himself tracking down flyballs at Rate Field during the White Sox postseason push. 

While the team already employs Randal Grichuk as the designated crafty veteran, Pham does offer the White Sox a little more versatility at the plate. Pham’s platoon splits have been remarkably similar throughout his career. This does give manager Will Venable more wiggle room when constructing his lineup.   

However, that’s not to say that Pham isn’t without his flaws. Since his fairly strong 2023 season with the Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks, he has steadily regressed over the past three seasons. While he was serviceable for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, he wasn’t exactly notable at the plate either. His 10 home runs and 52 RBI in 392 at-bats show he still had decent production left in his bat, but does that warrant a roster spot?

As a team ahead of schedule in its rebuilding phase, the White Sox would greatly benefit from its young core of players getting as many at-bats in high-pressure games as possible. Although games in September count as much as they do in April, there is a totally different atmosphere around them. Giving at-bats to Pham during this stretch could stunt the development of players like Braden Montgomery or Sam Antonacci.   

There is a flipside to having one of the youngest rosters in all of baseball though. It doesn’t hurt to inject some veteran presence into the clubhouse. With a .315 batting average and .823 OPS in 37 career postseason games, Pham immediately becomes the most experienced player on the team. Despite his off the field issues that often dominate headlines, Pham has earned a reputation as a strong clubhouse presence that brings a contagious level of competitiveness.    

Only time will tell if the addition of Pham was the right move, but one thing is for certain. The 2026 Chicago White Sox are never boring.    

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