After the Los Angeles Dodgers learned that Mookie Betts was dealing with a cracked rib, they knew they had to go to the trade market to find a temporary fill-in.
They turned their attention to outfielder Trayce Thompson, who started the season with the San Diego Padres and was with the Detroit Tigers at the moment of being acquired by the Dodgers.
His stats were poor with the Padres and he didn’t play with the Tigers, so the Dodgers smartly sent some cash considerations to Detroit for Thompson’s services.
The move, so far, has paid off handsomely.
In three games and four trips to the plate in a Dodgers uniform, he is 2-for-4 with a double and a home run.
The magic of small sample size tells us he is slashing .500/.500/1.500 with a 2.000 OPS.
It’s fair to say those numbers won’t remain that high for the rest of the season, but Thompson sure can be a nice reserve outfielder until Betts is ready to return.
The Dodgers’ Right Fielder Against Lefties
In fact, the Dodgers are currently platooning him with Eddy Alvarez in right field.
Alvarez sees most of the playing time against right-handed pitchers, whle Thompson plays when there is a lefty on the mound.
On Wednesday, Thompson hit a double.
Today, he did this:
Trayce Thompson sends one to the upper deck MY GOODNESS 😳
(via @Dodgers)pic.twitter.com/JiXP3bZKAL
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 23, 2022
Oddly enough, Thompson already had a stint with the Dodgers in 2016 and 2017.
He hit 13 home runs in limited playing time in 2016, but has then bounced around the league without finding a definitive home.
The Dodgers hope Thompson can show the kind of power they know he has for as long as Betts is out rehabbing his injury and his services are needed.
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