Joc Pederson of the Giants explained what led to his confrontation with Reds outfielder Tommy Pham on Friday, claiming that the fight was over a fantasy football dispute.
Pederson stated to reporters after San Francisco’s 5–1 loss that he had no idea Pham was planning to approach him during the series in Cincinnati. Pham confronted Pederson and slapped him in the cheek as the Giants warmed up in the outfield before being separated.
Pham accused Pederson of cheating in a fantasy football league in which both MLB players competed by placing a player on injured reserve and replacing him with a fantasy football free agent, according to Pederson.
Following the slap, Pederson stated he left the scene to prevent the situation from worsening. He also stated that he has no desire to retaliate at a later point in the series.
On Friday night, Pham was yanked from the lineup just before the game started. According to The Athletic, Major League Baseball is investigating the incident, and Pham has agreed not to play awaiting the outcome of the investigation.
The Reds and Giants will meet again on Saturday, but it’s unclear whether Pham will be in the starting lineup for Cincinnati. The game will begin at 4:10 p.m. ET.
