Rice Alumni in MLB | Aug. 23–29, 2026
Dane Myers had a week that required both a thick skin and a hot bat — and he delivered on both fronts.
The Pham Beef
The drama started Thursday when Myers dropped a fly ball in a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, a miscue that proved decisive. That alone would have been a rough news cycle. Then Tommy Pham — a veteran outfielder now with the Philadelphia Phillies' minor league system — piled on publicly, drawing a pointed response from Myers. The two traded jabs in what quickly became one of the more colorful back-and-forths of the MLB week, with Myers refusing to absorb the criticism quietly.
It's worth noting the source of the critique: Pham is currently grinding through the minors, not exactly a perch from which unsolicited outfield advice tends to land well. Myers, for his part, didn't let the moment fester.
The Bounce-Back
Two days after the Cardinals dropped ball and the Pham noise, Myers went out and authored the kind of line that does the talking for you: 3 hits, 2 runs scored, and a walk against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, Aug. 26. His average climbed to .260 on the night, recovering from a dip to .251 earlier in the week.
The broader arc of Myers' week was quietly solid. On Sunday, Aug. 23, he went 2-for-whatever against the Arizona Diamondbacks — 2 hits, 1 run, and a walk — and followed that up by holding steady through a tougher Tuesday outing before exploding against the Giants. By Friday's game against the Cubs, he drew another walk and sat at .254 on the season, a number that reflects a player who has earned his roster spot in Cincinnati.
The Bigger Picture
For Rice fans tracking their guy in the bigs, the storyline here isn't really the error or the Pham spat — it's what came after. Myers is a centerfielder on a rebuilding Reds squad, and the pressure of a high-profile mistake in a tight game is exactly the kind of moment that separates players who stick from those who don't. The 3-hit Wednesday performance was a direct, on-field answer.
No other Rice alumni had notable statistical activity in the brief this week — Evan Kravetz remains on the Cincinnati roster alongside Myers, while JT Chargois (Rangers), Tyler Duffey (Royals), Hayden Durke (Diamondbacks), and Tristan Gray (Twins/Rays) didn't generate significant lines in the period. Anthony Rendon continues to occupy a roster spot in Anaheim.
The week belonged to Myers. He earned it the hard way.
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