Diamondbacks outfielder Tommy Pham got into a verbal altercation Saturday with a Padres fan while standing in the on-deck circle at Petco Park after the fan allegedly called him a “piece of s---.”
Another fan at the game recorded Pham on video arguing with the heckler, and the Arizona veteran appeared upset with the way the San Diego fan was behaving.
“It’s always funny when you’ve got a white man—a white man—feel like they can disrespect me,” Pham appeared to say in the video. “A black man or a Latin [man] don’t do that s---.”
Tommy Pham has some severe anger management issues. He was just waiting to go off on someone. This vid is from my wife after he started losing his shit. I’m not there today. Brian is the guy who sits directly in front of us.
— Patrick Dailey (@PatrickDailey) August 19, 2023
In the 3 season we have had our tickets, he has never… pic.twitter.com/pVtWkQ1C7k
After the game, Pham explained the situation to reporters and criticized the way some fans treat him. Pham had previously played for the Padres during the 2020 and ’21 seasons.
“Fans here, man, I just don’t get it. Not even at the field, even away from the field, it’s just completely disrespectful,” Pham said. “… Older white gentleman called me a piece of s—, so I don’t think that’s acceptable, especially when you’re so close to the on-deck circle.”
Tommy Pham on his altercation with a fan in the first inning:
— PHNX Diamondbacks (@PHNX_Dbacks) August 19, 2023
"Fans here, man, I just don't get it ... Older white gentleman called me a piece of shit. I don't think that's acceptable, especially when you're so close to the on-deck circle." pic.twitter.com/zGY9SY2Fe1
Pham also described another incident with Padres fans, when a drunk woman cursed him out outside the team hotel.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo sided with Pham during his press conference, specifically calling out Padres fans for their treatment of the outfielder.
“These fans are awful to Tommy. I hear some terrible things coming from the stands,” Lovullo said. “It’s deeper. It’s ugly, and I’ve been uncomfortable with it from my vantage point.”
Torey Lovullo on the Tommy Pham incident:
— Jesse Friedman (@JesseNFriedman) August 20, 2023
"These fans are awful to Tommy ... I don't know the details of it. I just didn't like what's coming out of these fans' mouth. It's real, I'm not making that up. If you get near our dugout, you'd be amazed at what's being said." pic.twitter.com/zkX66iiOrY
After the Diamondbacks and Padres completed their doubleheader on Saturday to ahead of an expected tropical storm on Sunday, Arizona has no more games scheduled in San Diego this season.
