Pham was removed from Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers due to left hip tightness, but he's ready to go following a few days of rest. The veteran outfielder is projected to open the season as the Pirates ' left fielder and leadoff hitter.

The Pittsburgh Pirates got a taste of what Tommy Pham can offer when the 12th-year veteran left fielder threw out a runner and hit his first home run of

Tommy Pham hit his first homer of the spring for the Pittsburgh Pirates and recorded an outfield assist in a 5-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon. Pham’s home run came off of reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal in the top of the third winning.

Pham (hip) characterized his early exit from Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers as a precautionary move, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. "In the season, I'd play through it,

Even the throw he made to nail Detroit right fielder Kerry Carpenter trying to stretch a single into a double in the second inning, the type of play Pham hopes to execute more this season while improving his defensive value to the Pirates and the rest of MLB.