The Mets designated Tommy Pham for assignment on Monday after agreeing to sign Austin Slater, a move that appears to end Pham’s brief time in New York after nine games. Pham, a 13-year MLB veteran, went 14 plate appearances with zero hits and one walk.
The timing matters because the Mets had already locked in a prorated $2.25 million salary for Pham in 2026 when they selected him to the active roster on April 13. If another club claims him off waivers, that team would take on the remaining money; if he clears, the Mets would still be responsible for it. Pham also has enough service time to reject an outright assignment and choose free agency instead.
Slater brings a different recent track record. He hit.174/.286/.174 over 28 plate appearances with the Marlins, was designated for assignment after 12 games and cleared waivers before electing free agency. He has more than five years of MLB service time, giving him the ability to move on, and the Mets moved quickly after that became possible.
Pham’s path to the roster was unusual even before the bat went quiet. He did not have a traditional spring training after spending a long time in free agency, instead getting ramp-up time in the Mets’ extended spring camp and five games at Single-A St. Lucie. But the bigger issue is simpler: he has not been especially productive since 2023, and the Mets’ decision to bring in Slater suggests they have already decided to move on.
That is the part that matters now. Pham has played for 10 different teams in his big league career, and this latest stop may end before it ever really started.