Diamondbacks trade Thomas to Dodgers

Alek Thomas’ time with the Arizona Diamondbacks has come to an end.

The 26-year-old Morganton native, who was drafted by Arizona in the second round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft and made his MLB debut in 2022, was designated for assignment (DFA’ed) late last week. Thomas was then traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday for fellow outfielder Jose Requena, a 17-year-old who has yet to make his professional debut.

Thomas was batting just .181 with 17 hits including two home runs and nine doubles for the D-backs in 2026. He also had 10 RBIs, 12 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 28 games.

Los Angeles subsequently optioned Thomas to the Arizona Complex League, although the club did DFA another player in order to make room for Thomas on its 40-man roster. The Dodgers are hoping that Thomas can find his way on offense, as he has lacked consistency at the plate despite showcasing strong defensive skills throughout his MLB career.

A Gold Glove finalist in both 2022 and 2023, Thomas has a career batting average of .230, totaling 317 hits including 31 homers, 67 doubles, and 10 triples to go with 143 RBIs, 172 runs scored, and 28 stolen bases in 448 games. He notably helped Arizona reach the World Series in 2023, hitting four homers and driving in six runs during the postseason.