The Arizona Diamondbacks traded center fielder Alek Thomas to the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers for outfield prospect Jose Requena on Tuesday.
Steve Adams from MLB Trade Rumors first reported the deal.
Requena is a 17-year-old prospect from Venezuela, a right-handed hitter listed at 6-foot-3. The newcomer will head to the Dominican Summer League, according to the transactions log.
Arizona designated Thomas for assignment on Friday amidst offensive struggles for the outfielder and the team as a whole. The D-backs opted to make a change by calling up top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt.
Thomas had a minor league option left. General manager Mike Hazen opted to take a more extreme measure for a player who was once considered a top prospect and who became a postseason hero in 2023.
“He has no prior outright, so if we end up outrighting him, if we don’t trade or clear his waivers, then I feel like we’ll get a better version of him when he is down there,” Hazen said on Friday. “I feel like if we just optioned him feeling like he’s buried, sitting down there biding his time until he gets another opportunity, I wasn’t sure that we were going to get the best version.”
Hazen mentioned that he had already started receiving trade calls.
When a player gets DFA’d, he can be traded within seven days. The player can also be placed on outright or unconditional release waivers.
Thomas’ Diamondbacks tenure officially ends in disappointment.
Thomas had not taken the necessary offensive strides to remain the club’s starting center fielder, despite his abilities on defense. He hit .181 this season, and his 3% walk rate was amongst the lowest in the league.
He and D-backs fans will always have the Game 4 home run during the 2023 National League Championship Series to look back on.
Waldschmidt has started two of the four games since Thomas’ departure in center field, with Jorge Barrosa another option for those reps. Outfielder Jordan Lawlar is working his way back from the injured list.
The Dodgers DFA’d outfielder Michael Siani on Monday to open a roster spot.
Los Angeles has seen a lot of Thomas over the years, as he has played 45 games against the Dodgers, including the postseason.
