Tommy Pham's steady bat and veteran leadership have helped the Arizona Diamondbacks improbably reach the World Series. He was traded there midway through the season after playing with the disappointing New York Mets, helping a young squad make it all the way through the National League bracket.

Pham's work with the young D-Backs has been much more fruitful than his work with the veteran Mets. He did not mince words about both his current and former team, saying that the 2023 Mets had more talent than the 2023 Diamondbacks but that the Snakes have more heart, according to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports.

“That team is more talented than this team,” Pham said, via USA TODAY Sports. “Let’s be honest here. But what makes this team different is everyone is still at this level trying to reach their max potential. The drive wasn’t there [with the Mets]. That drive is here. That’s what separates this team from most teams. You have guys that are still trying to get better every day. You have teammates trying to help you out. And that’s dangerous.”

This is not the first time Pham has spoken out about the Mets' incompetence and poor work ethic. New York had a brutal season punctuated by a fire sale that sent Pham to the Diamondbacks, who have shown their mental fortitude by smoking two division champions and coming back from multiple deficits in the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The numbers Pham has put up with the Diamondbacks haven’t been all that great. He posted a below-average.720 OPS in the regular season after being traded to Arizona, though he has bumped it up to .779 in 52 at-bats in the postseason. What really makes him valuable, aside from the occasional extra-base hit, is the mentality he helps impart in the clubhouse.

Tommy Pham made history in Game 2 of the World Series and had the chance to do something never seen before in the Fall Classic. Instead, the Diamondbacks put a pinch hitter in his spot with a sizable lead to give another player a chance to get live action. Pham said that it was his call to sacrifice his shot at history to help his team.