The Pittsburgh Buccaneers have agreed to a one-year, $4.025 million contract with veteran outfielder Tommy Pham, ending the offseason's long-term search for a corner fielder, according to sources told MLB.com. The team has yet to officially confirm the deal.

The 36-year-old Van is batting .248/.305/.368 for the 2024 season, contributing nine home runs and 39 RBIs. The 11-year major league veteran signed a minor league contract with the White Sox in mid-April and has since moved to the White Sox, Cardinals and Royal three. Over the past three years, Van has played for seven teams and has become a representative of the "Rangers".

Although Van had below-average overall stats last season, his improved stats were impressive. His expected weighted on-base (xwOBA) of .319 is on par with the average major league batter, and he still retains his swing speed (72.7 mph) and ball picking ability (chasing bad ball rate of just 18.7 percent, which ranks in the top 3 percent of the league).

Defensively, Van struggled last season, contributing -2 Outs above Average and -10 Defensive Runs Saved, but he was still capable of playing all three outfield positions. Although he has a poor defensive performance (-7 points saved in 223 innings), he is better suited to the corner fielder at this stage of his career. That's not a problem for the Pirates, as their biggest need is the corner outfielders.

The Buccaneers' outfield roster is centered around Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz, but after opting out of re-signing Bryan De La Cruz and Connor Joe in November, corner outfielders have been a focus of the team's reinforcements. Last season, the Pirates' right fielders ranked second-to-last in the league in OPS (.614), home runs (11), and batting percentage (.319) (just ahead of the White Sox).

Van is expected to be the main outfielder for the Pirates, but there are other options on the team's 40-man roster. Jack Suwinski and Joshua Palacios suffered setbacks in 2024 after showing their potential in 2023, but there is still a chance to bounce back. Nick Yorke and Billy Cook were acquired by the Buccaneers before the trade deadline, with Cook being the more natural outfielder, but the two could also play as right fielders this season. If one of these players comes out on top, Van could move to a bench or rotation role in the middle of the season. If no one stands, Van has proven that he can still be a daily starter – he played in 116 games despite not being on the major league roster until April 26 last year.

Van is the fifth player the Buccaneers have signed this winter to secure a major league contract, with three of those signings completed in the past week and a half. Andrew McCutchen signed a contract extension in December, left pitcher Caleb Ferguson joined in January, and infielder Adam Frazier and left pitcher Tim Mayza were finalized in the last nine days.

Once the deal is officially completed, the Pirates will need to make the corresponding roster adjustments.