A mundane series between the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants has made national headlines due to Tommy Pham slapping Joc Pederson prior to the start of the series opener at Great American Ball Park.
The two were quickly separated and Pham was later scratched from the Reds lineup. Reason for the confrontation was initially unclear but it became known it stemmed from a disagreement during a fantasy football league Pederson and Pham were part of last year.
In response to Pederson shedding light on the incident, Pham alleged he also made inappropriate comments.
According to Evan Webeck of The Mercury News, Pham not only was upset with Pederson over fantasy football matters, but a Dodgers meme that included the San Francisco Giants and mocked the Padres:
Pederson declined reporters’ interview request before Saturday’s game, but after the 3-2 loss, he was waiting at his locker with receipts of his text exchange with Pham. He showed off a GIF he sent to the group chat, which featured three weightlifters with logos of the Dodgers, Giants and Padres superimposed on them. The Padres’ lifter collapsed under the weight of his dumbbell, meant to make light of San Diego’s collapse late last season.
Pederson read, verbatim, from the text exchange.
Pham responded, “Joc I don’t know you well enough to make any jokes like this.” Pederson wrote back, “It was meant to be all fun and games. No hard feelings. Sorry if you took it that way.”
“It is true,” Pederson told reporters. “I sent a GIF making fun of the Padres. If I hurt anyone’s feelings, I apologize for that.”
The Giants (107) and Dodgers (106) both set franchise records for wins last season. The Padres went into 2022 picked by many to unseat the Dodgers in the National League West, but they instead finished below .500 at 79-83 and out of the postseason picture.
Dodgers fans booed Joc Pederson
Although Pederson was a fan-favorite during his Dodgers career and has received plenty of support during the saga with Pham, he was booed when playing at Dodger Stadium for the first time since with the Giants.
The treatment was in stark contrast to Dodgers fans cheering for Pederson when he played for the Chicago Cubs and received his World Series ring during a pregame ceremony.
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