Pirates OF Tommy Pham serves 1-game suspension; Cruz still out but Kiner-Falefa returns

NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham served a one-game suspension Monday night against the New York Mets for conduct directed at Los Angeles Angels fans last month.

Pham was disciplined by Major League Baseball and fined an undisclosed amount on April 25 for “inappropriate actions toward” Angels fans during a game two days earlier. The penalty was upheld after his appeal went to a hearing, a Pirates spokesman said Monday.

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The 37-year-old Pham reportedly made an obscene gesture to a fan who touched him while he was tracking down a ball in the left-field corner during a 3-0 win over the Angels.

The 12-year veteran is batting .176 with no homers, six RBIs and a .475 OPS in 34 games during his first season with the Pirates.

Pham, who played 79 games for the Mets in 2023, is a .331 career hitter with 10 home runs in 169 at-bats and 55 games at Citi Field.

In other news, Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz was out of the starting lineup for the second consecutive game after leaving Saturday's 11-inning loss to Atlanta with lower back tightness.

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Alexander Canario, acquired from the Mets for cash on March 31, was set to start in center again.

Pittsburgh also reinstated shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the 10-day injured list. In a corresponding move, infielder Liover Peguero was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis following Sunday's 4-3 win over the Braves.

Kiner-Falefa had been sidelined since May 1 with a right hamstring strain. He was in the lineup at shortstop against New York, batting sixth.

The 30-year-old Kiner-Falefa began the night batting .280 with no homers, seven RBIs and a .663 OPS in 30 games this season.

Peguero went 2 for 9 in four games with Pittsburgh after being called up May 2 from Indianapolis.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb