Giants outfielder Joc Pederson hopes Giants fans don't go too far when the Reds visit Oracle Park, where Tommy Pham is playing in the outfield. Pederson is concerned that Giants fans will go overboard in response to Pham's assault on him.
Pham slapped Pederson three weeks ago on May 27 before a game in Cincinnati over a fantasy football dispute. Because of the incident, Pham was suspended for three games.
"It's an unfortunate incident, and I feel like we've moved past it," Pederson said. "It was an off-field issue, handled and moved on. It's in the rearview mirror."
Pederson added that he hadn't spoken to Pham since the incident.
"I think our fans are classy and respectful," said Pederson, "There's a respect level that needs to be held up, and when you see games in New York or wherever they were where they start throwing stuff on the field that is not OK and doesn't help any situation. It makes it so much worse. So just keep it respectful."
Pham's accusation
Last month, Pederson said he had been accused of cheating because of the way he dealt the big-money fantasy league's injured reserve spot.
Pham considered Pederson was cheating by putting players on the injured reserve list and Pederson saw the move as a legal approach. However, the dispute arose from an old text message Pederson sent to the league's group chat in which he insulted Pham's teammates on the San Diego Padres.
Pham told The Athletic last month that the 12-team league enforced a $10,000 entry fee, with the losing team having to pay an additional $10,000. According to Pham, he dropped out of the league when he was in second place.
Pham said that one person could have prevented everything: their fantasy league's commissioner, Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, whom Pham called "the worst commissioner in fantasy sports because he allowed a lot of (things) to go on, and he could've solved it all."
Pham's suspension
Pham has made one of the MLB's most memorable moments this season following the fantasy football feud between him and Pederson. Three weeks later, Pham still stands by his decision.
"You know what, I've got no regrets," Pham said to USA Today Sport. "None at all. Joc deserved to be slapped."
The MLB appears to have sided with Pederson, suspending Pham for three games and penalizing him $5,000. However, according to Pham, the punishment could have been far worse. Pham said that immediately following the altercation, the Giants threatened to file assault charges against him and even boycott the game.
Pham told USA Today that he was bothered by how Giants players and coaches interjected themselves into his dispute with Pederson.
"This is something personal between me and Pederson," Pham said. "It has nothing to do with the Giants, but they tried to make it about them."
In fact, before joining the Giants, the outfielder said that he wanted to slap Pederson. In September of last season, Pham attempted to catch Pederson while facing the Braves, Pederson's former team, but the 30-year-old never took the field.
The Reds and Giants will square off in a three-game set at Oracle Park from June 24 to 26. The Giants will play host to the Reds, the first of which will take place on Friday night.
