Mets Call Up Tommy Pham to Boost Offense

The New York Mets called up veteran outfielder Tommy Pham from their minor league system on Monday, aiming to ignite a struggling offense as they opened a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pham, a 38-year-old right-handed hitter, signed a minor league contract with the Mets on March 27 and spent the early season with Single-A St. Lucie, where he batted .167 with two hits in 12 at-bats over six games. To accommodate the move, the Mets optioned infielder Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse. Mauricio, who had been recalled last week for infield depth amid injuries to other players, appeared in limited action during his brief stint, recording one hit in four at-bats, including a walk-off single in a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The promotion comes at a critical juncture for the Mets, who entered the week mired in a five-game losing streak, capped by a 10-0 shutout loss to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday at Citi Field. New York has scored just nine runs during the skid, including two or fewer in four of those contests, and ranks last in the National League East with a 7-9 record. The team's batting average stands at .236, placing them 14th in the league,...