Tommy Pham lays a hand on Joc Pederson for taking liberties with the IR list with video of the slap now viral
He was removed from the Cincinnati Reds’ starting lineup before Friday’s game due to a pregame confrontation with San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson.
Pham struck Pederson in the face during batting practice over an argument about their fantasy football league, according to Pederson. Reds bats went from the batting cage to the outfield as the bullpen cleared toward left field, where Pham reportedly smacked Pederson.
“There was no genuine debate,” Pederson told reporters. “He approached and asked, ‘You remember from last year?’ ‘Fantasy football?’ I thought. ‘Yeah,’ he said, then yeah.”
Tommy Pham Slaps Joc Pederson During Argument Over IR List In Fantasy Football, Video Viral
Tommy Pham slapped Joc Pederson across the head and was suspended for three games because lingering resentment from a rule regarding IR designation in their fantasy football league spilled over into real life and led to Pham’s attack.
Baseball is not real. It’s a Mad Lib. pic.twitter.com/0a41Yi0DGD
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 28, 2022
The entire incident lasted only a few minutes, and Reds manager David Bell lingered in the outfield to speak with Pham after the players resumed their customary pregame exercises.
Pham declined to speak publicly about the incident as he went off the field after batting practice, and he was not accessible after Friday’s game.
After being smacked, Pederson walked off the field. Following the encounter, no punches were thrown.
Pederson was accused of cheating in a fantasy football league in a group text, he said when he placed a player on injured reserve after the player was reported as out.
“He was probably in two leagues, one in which he was on the IR and one in which he wasn’t, so there was some confusion. But he was labelled as out in the ESPN league we were in, so I started it was very similar to what I did. That was pretty much it. There’s not much else to say.”
Pederson, who participated in Friday’s game, declined to comment on whether Pham should be suspended. He verified that Pham was asked to sit out Friday’s game by Giants manager Gabe Kapler and general manager Farhan Zaidi.
In 2020, Pham and Pederson were division rivals with the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively. Pederson stated that if he sees Pham before Saturday’s game at Great American Ball Park, he does not intend to speak with him.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s over,” Pederson said. “I doubt I’ll talk to him. I don’t believe he wants to communicate with me, but I’m not sure. That was, I believe, the first time we ever spoke in person, so it was an odd and terrible contact. When you showed up, it was difficult to get back in. It had been a long day.”
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