NEW YORK — Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout is trying to steer clear of the fantasy football league dispute between Cincinnati Reds outfielder Tommy Pham and San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson.
After Pham told reporters on Tuesday that Trout was the “worst commissioner in fantasy sports” because he could have prevented the dispute between the two outfielders, Trout was asked on Wednesday to address whether Pederson broke the league’s rules.
The three-time MVP and nine-time All-Star kept his answer brief.
“I ain’t talking about fantasy football,” Trout said before his team’s game against the New York Yankees. “It’s one of those things where everyone is competitive. Everybody loves fantasy football. Who doesn’t?”
Trout said that he had not decided whether he would take on the duties of being the fantasy football commissioner again but that he was prepared for the criticism.
“Every commissioner I know always gets booed,” Trout said.
The dispute emerged Friday when Pham slapped Pederson during pregame warm-ups. Pederson had said he was accused of cheating for the way he had maneuvered the big-money fantasy league’s injured reserve spot. Pham had said the dispute stemmed from an old text sent by Pederson to the league’s group chat in which he disrespected his teammates on the San Diego Padres, the team he played for last season.
MLB suspended Pham for all three games of the series between the Reds and Giants.