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The Detroit Tigers have reportedly traded outfielder Trayce Thompson, the brother of Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson, to the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Dodgers’ star outfielder, Mookie Betts, was placed on the 10-day injured list with a cracked right rib after colliding with Cody Bellinger in the outfield.
Thompson had a 1.085 OPS with 17 home runs at the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate in Toledo. Trayce, 31, has played for five different teams since 2015, and he has spent 12 seasons in the minor leagues. Each of his appearances on an MLB roster has been brief. If he joins the Dodgers, the team will benefit from the right-handed minor leaguer’s MLB experience. Check out the best bookmakers for betting on Baseball!
Thompson was selected in the second round by the Chicago White Sox in 2009, and his best MLB season came in 2015 when he appeared in 44 games for the White Sox. He batted .295 with an OPS of .896. He was unable to replicate his success in subsequent stints. The outfielder has batted. 205 in 222 career major league games, which explains why he has struggled to stay in the big leagues.
Thompson has batted .071 in six games with the San Diego Padres this season. However, he has hit 17 home runs in 41 Triple-A games this season. Thompson has previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was a member of the team in 2016 and 2017, appearing in 107 games over the two seasons, which is most likely a major reason for the Dodgers’ decision.
The Dodgers were defeated by the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night due to a disappointing offense and the absence of Mookie Betts. During Wednesday’s 4-1 victory, Betts was injured in an outfield collision with Angels center fielder Cody Bellinger. He expressed confidence that he would be ready to return in about two weeks, but the Dodgers will keep a close eye on Betts’ progress in the coming days.
Betts’ absence will be devastating to the Dodgers’ lineup. The former MVP has been the team’s most productive hitter this season, and he has emerged as one of the early favorites to win the National League MVP in 2022. Betts leads the Dodgers in home runs and RBIs with 17.
In recent weeks, the Dodgers have suffered losses due to the injuries of Walker Buehler, Edwin Rosario, and now Betts. Tommy Kahnle and Blake Treinen have also been sidelined for over a month. Los Angeles received the news of the return of injured left-hander Andrew Heaney on Sunday.
The Dodgers were looking for a right-handed outfielder to platoon with Eddy Alvarez in right field during Betts’ absence. With a 40-25 record entering Monday, the Dodgers led the NL West. Los Angeles is also missing outfielder Kevin Pillar (who could have filled this role) and other key players such as starters Walker Buehler and Dustin May, as well as reliever Blake Treinen.
The Dodgers have a day off on Monday before embarking on a three-city, nine-game road trip against the Reds, Braves, and Rockies. On Saturday, the Dodgers will face left-hander Max Fried, who appears to be a safe bet for Thompson’s first start as a member of the group.
Meanwhile, Betts is expected to return in two weeks or less. It means Thompson has until then to prove he deserves to be in the lineup even after Mookie returns, or to earn another big-league opportunity.
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