Contact Solution: Tommy Pham Hoping Updated Prescription Does the Trick

Tommy Pham has had a rough first season with the Pirates.

In need of outfield help this offseason, the Pirates inked Pham to a one-year free agent contract worth $4 million.

While Pham has provided solid defense in left field, the 37-year-old is slashing just .209/.289/.247 with six extra-base hits (all doubles) and 12 RBI in 52 games.

It’s no secret that Pham’s season to date hasn’t gone the way he or the Pirates had hoped, but the veteran outfielder had a big hand in the Pirates’ 8-3 win over the Rangers on Sunday afternoon.

Pham finished the game 3 for 3 with two doubles, a sacrifice fly and three RBI. His pair of doubles snapped a stretch of 26 consecutive games without an extra-base hit dating back to Apr. 26 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

“Today felt better,” he said after the game. “I’ve been working on some stuff, especially visually. It’s just good to finally see it come out on my side this time.”

Pham has battled vision problems at times during his career. In 2008, he was diagnosed with a condition called keratoconus, which affects the cornea and causes contorted vision.

It’s been challenging for Pham to find a contact prescription that has worked for him this season, but he feels like he finally may have the solution.

“I’ve been making changes weekly,” he explained on his vision issues. “So I think we’re heading in the right direction now. I’m pretty optimistic going forward now.”

Pham’s performance on Sunday afternoon was more what the Pirates had in mind when they signed him.

Players and coaches have applauded Pham’s work ethic and veteran leadership throughout the season, even though things haven’t gone his way.

“The respect that I have for him, that the team has, the way he’s worked through all of this, we talked about it the other day. He’s got 10 years in the big leagues. He works like he has 10 days,” manager Don Kelly explained. “And every single day he’s coming in, working his butt off. To see the results today for him was awesome.”

Through his struggles, Pham hasn’t made any major changes to his approach, swing, routine, etc. The sole focus has been on his vision.

Maybe Pham’s latest prescription is finally the one that works, and Sunday’s showing is a sign of what’s to come moving forward.

Though his struggles this season, Tommy Pham is still Tommy Pham, through the good times and the bad.

“You’ve got to keep going, man. You’ve got to keep working,” he said. “If you give up, your team will give up on you. There’s a reason why they’ve been sticking with me, ’cause day in, day out, they see me putting in the work.”