Joc Pederson Shares GIF That Started Beef With Tommy Pham

Following the Giants' 3-2 loss to the Reds on Saturday, Joc Pederson had receipts and was ready to spill more information on what caused his altercation with Tommy Pham the night before.

Pham, who was suspended three games by MLB for slapping Pederson across the face before their game Friday night, said it was over a disagreement in a fantasy football league, as well as "disrespectful" comments the Giants outfielder made about the Padres. Pham was a Padre at the time of the comments in the fall of 2021.

Pederson confirmed as much and showed reporters the GIF he sent in a group chat poking fun at the Padres. The GIF consisted of three weightlifters with Dodgers, Giants and Padres logos over their faces. The weightlifter with the Padres logo couldn't keep up and dropped his weights, which was Pederson's way of making light of San Diego's struggles last season, despite its talented roster. Pederson was with the Braves during this time, who went on to win the World Series.

"It was supposed to be a friendly thing, just making fun of they were playing bad and just talking back and forth," Pederson said, via NBC Sports. "... Because they were a really good team, so it was kind of making fun of how they were not playing well to make the playoffs with a very talented team."

Pham did not approve of the joke. That we clearly know, after we first got word of the slap. Pederson said that Pham left the fantasy league in about Week 4 or 5 of the NFL season, meaning it had been seven months since the two communicated -- you know, before the slap.

" didn't not like that and responded, ‘Joc, I don’t know you well enough to make any jokes like this.’ So, then I wrote back, ‘Was meant to be all fun and games," Pederson said. "No hard feelings, sorry if you took it that way.' About two weeks later, after like Week 4 of 5, he ended up leaving the league. There’s been no communication since."