Tommy Pham. Photo via Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
Maybe Tommy Pham’s spring training was a blur.
The veteran outfielder who failed to crack a batting average over .200 in 17 spring training games, is hitting the regular season with a bang. With Brandon Nimmo resting, Pham was Sunday’s leadoff hitter. He did more than deliver.
Pham went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, walk, and a stolen base against the Marlins. He drove in three of the Mets five runs in their 5-1 victory.
The key for Pham? Going to the optometrist.
Pham suffers from keratoconus, an eye disorder that causes a thinning of the cornea and a loss of vision. It’s a condition he’s been dealing with since 2008.
Pham received new corrective contact lenses on Friday.
“I feel like I am seeing the ball better,” Pham said. “My eye doctor out here, she kind of fine-tuned my lenses for me and when I got my new lenses on Friday I felt like everything was way different in a good way.”
Over the weekend, Pham went 4-for-5 at the plate. He had seven hits in 45 spring at-bats.
“My other lenses from the spring had a little bit too much astigmatism. A little too much ‘residual cylinder’ is the term, and she kind of eliminated some of that for me, so now I can see.”
Pham has seen other doctors about his lenses before, but these are presently tuned for him.
“They’re great,” Pham said. “This is probably the best I have seen on defense in years, but they still needed a little fine-tuning and the doctor here fine-tuned them for me.”
It’s good news for Pham and even better news for the Mets.
