Dodgers make trade with division-rival Diamondbacks and DFA usual suspect

Last week, the Diamondbacks DFA'ed former No. 1 prospect Alek Thomas to make room for current No. 1 prospect Ryan Waldschmidt. Although Thomas has never been able to figure it out offensively at the major league level, the move was a surprise. He's always played a solid center field and is a threat on the base paths.

Arizona GM Mike Hazen said that there had been trade interest in the aftermath of the DFA. Per Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, they dealt him to the Dodgers on Tuesday, perhaps the last team anyone expected, and are sending outfielder Jose Requena to the Diamondbacks. Thomas will take the last available spot on the Dodgers' 40-man recently vacated by Michael Siani, who was DFA'ed on Monday.

The fact that the Diamondbacks would so willingly give their former top prospect to a division rival indicates that they've fully given up on Thomas, but this is a very characteristic Andrew Friedman move. Turning coal in diamonds is what the Dodgers do.

Thomas now looks like the natural successor to Santiago Espinal, who isn't long for the Dodgers' roster with Kiké Hernández nearing the end of a rehab assignment.

Dodgers trade with division rival Diamondbacks for former No. 1 prospect Alek Thomas

Before Thomas was DFA'ed, he was hitting .181 with a .562 OPS with two homers and 10 RBI in 28 games, but is still well above average in fielding and baserunning. The bat actually managed to come alive during the Dbacks' 2023 World Series run, too; he slugged .463 in 17 postseason games.

Jack Harris of the California Post reported that the Dodgers intend to exercise Thomas' last minor league option instead of adding him to the active roster, which is unsurprising. Although Espinal will be gone as soon as Hernández is ready for a return, that should be the last of the Dodgers' recent roster moves, barring another injury.

Sending Thomas to Oklahoma City to see if they can get more out of his bat was always going to be the only move to make here. Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, and Kyle Tucker have starting jobs locked up while (Kiké) Hernández, Alex Call, and Hyeseong Kim are available to move around the field freely.

But the Dodgers could have worse insurance policies than a former No. 1 prospect. If they can see a little bit more from him offensively, they could have the Diamondbacks regretting this trade sooner than later.

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