January 10, 2021

In his first year with the Padres, outfielder Tommy Pham had a brutal season primarily due to a broken hamate bone which kept him out from mid-August until the last week of the season. In just 125 plate appearances, Pham posted a mediocre .211/.312/.312 line with three home runs and 12 RBI. Despite the results, other than a large launch angle decline, Pham's power and plate discipline metrics essentially remained consistent with his solid 2017-2019 campaigns. In addition, prior to 2020, for three straight seasons, Pham hit at least 21 home runs while also stealing at least 15 bases. Further, he was one of only nine players to hit more than 20 HR and steal more than 20 bases in 2019, despite battling a number of injuries that year also. Given the hamate injury, the very small sample size, and the fact that Pham also tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the season, it would be hard to put much stock in his 2020 performance. In light of consistent production in his three prior seasons and underlying hitting metrics, a rebound for Pham is likely. With an ADP of 120, Pham makes for a great value pick in 2021. If healthy, Pham should reward managers with a 20-20 season and a batting average above .270 (in line with his 2017-2019 campaigns) hitting in a potent Padres lineup.--Nick Ritrivi - RotoBaller