Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alek Thomas made his Dodgers debut over the weekend after Andy Pages went down with a hand injury, and is already making a difference.
Pages wore a 100 mph sinker off of his left hand in the third inning of Friday’s game, exiting the contest a couple of innings later. The following day, the Dodgers called up Thomas for his Dodgers debut and placed the first-time All-Star center fielder on the injured list with a hand fracture.
Thomas immediately made an impact in the Dodgers’ lineup batting eighth, logging an RBI single in the Dodgers’ 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. He also logged an RBI single in Sunday’s 4-0 win.
“It feels really good,” Thomas said. “Kiké [Hernandez] asked me ‘how’s it feel being on this side,’ and I said ‘honestly, bro, it feels amazing.’ It feels really good. We’ve got a great team, great crowds, and I feel blessed to be a part of this team.
“…I’ve been working on the swing a little bit, so it’s good to see it work out up here in the big leagues.”
When Did Alek Thomas Become a Dodger?
Thomas has spent his entire professional career in the NL West, though only became a Dodger this season. The first four seasons of his MLB career came with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he played 448 games from 2022-2026.
He played just 28 games with them this season, getting designated for assignment in May. The Dodgers traded minor-league outfielder Jose Requena to the Diamondbacks in exchange for Thomas after his placement on waivers, and kept him in Triple-A for a few months afterwards.
He played 55 games for the Oklahoma City Comets in Triple-A, posting solid numbers throughout his tenure there. He had a .855 OPS through 223 at-bats, hitting seven homers and driving in 40 runs during that span.
Thomas is likely to be with the Dodgers for at least the next month, as Pages will miss four to five weeks after undergoing a procedure on his left hand.
Why Did the Dodgers Choose Alek Thomas Instead of a Top Prospect?
The Dodgers have a plethora of highly touted outfield prospects, but likely opted to bring Thomas over them due to his major-league readiness. Thomas has proven his ability over several seasons with the Diamondbacks, and his stellar numbers in Triple-A were a good indicator that he is ready to play in MLB.
Additionally, the Dodgers can’t guarantee Thomas to play every day for the Dodgers. The Dodgers value the ability to play every day extremely highly, and with Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernandez also available to fill in at center field, they can’t guarantee their prospects the opportunity to grow.
