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Giants outfielder Joc Pederson offered his side of the story Saturday after his fantasy football dispute with Reds outfielder Tommy Pham came to light following a confrontation prior to Friday’s game against the Reds.
Pham was scratched from the contest after reportedly slapping the Giants outfielder over a disagreement the two had in a fantasy football league last year. On Saturday morning, Pham told the media he received a three-game suspension for his actions, which he claimed happened because Pederson was “messing with my money.”
Pederson was asked about the suspension following the Giants’s loss to the Reds on Saturday, and told reporters he had not spoken with Pham since he left the fantasy league in Week 4 or 5. After confirming to reporters there was “a lot of money involved,” Pederson offered to share a group text exchange with the then-Padre that occurred in a league group chat with Padres players.
Pederson said the exchange began after he shared a GIF making fun of the Padres, which elicited a reply from Pham.
“Joc I don’t know you well enough to make any jokes like this,” Pham said, per Pederson. “It was meant to be all fun and games. No hard feelings. Sorry if you took it that way,” Pederson replied.
Pederson also revealed the details of the GIF, which included three weightlifters with Giants, Dodgers and Padres logos superimposed over them. The GIF also showed the Padres guy collapsing under the weight of his dumbbell.
Pederson told reporters the GIF was intended to be “light-hearted” and he did not mean to offend anyone. Based on Pham’s recent comments, however, their story may be in for another twist as it appears the pair might have a long way to go before truly mending fences.
“I slapped Joc. He said some s--- I don’t condone. I had to address it,” Pham said Saturday, per The Mercury News.
