Pham offers to fight Voit following Stephenson collision, injury

Warning: Story contains coarse language

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Tommy Pham has his teammate's back at seemingly any cost.

After Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson was forced to leave Tuesday evening's game with a concussion following a controversial collision at the plate involving San Diego Padres slugger Luke Voit, Pham offered to fight for his new teammate.

"It was dirty as fuck," Pham said, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic.

He added: "If Luke wants to settle it, I get down really well. Anything. Muay Thai, whatever. Like I said, I've got an owner here who will let me use his (boxing) facility. So, fuck 'em."

Pham, who played left field Tuesday, made the initial relay throw into the infield following Jurickson Profar's first-inning hit that led up to the Voit-Stephenson collision. Voit, whose right elbow collided with Stephenson's head, was ruled out on the tag. The Reds catcher was then examined by training staff and removed from the game.

"It ended up being a good throw and the ball took it in, and I tried to go around him," Voit said after the contest, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. "I think he went in to make sure he (got the tag). I'm honestly surprised he held onto it. It was pretty impressive."

He added: "I wasn't trying to take him out. ... Hope he's all right."

Later on, Stephenson tweeted that the "only thing that matters is he was out."

Pham, who played for the Padres in 2020 and 2021, signed a one-year, $7.5-million contract with the Reds this past winter. His San Diego tenure never overlapped with Voit's, as the first baseman was acquired from the New York Yankees during this past offseason.

Prior to the 2014 campaign, Major League Baseball introduced new rules to protect catchers from home-plate collisions. Rule 7.13 states the "umpire will consider such factors as whether the runner made an effort to touch the plate and whether he lowered his shoulder or used his hands, elbows, or arms when approaching the catcher."