30 days out, Los Angeles is ready for the World Cup. The playing surface? Not just yet
30 days to the World Cup: LA is ready, but the field isn't yet!
The Dodgers have acquired center fielder Alek Thomas from the Diamondbacks, trading 17-year-old prospect Jose Requena. To make room on the roster, they designated Michael Siani for assignment.
Alek Thomas #5 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates an RBI double during a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium on July 11, 2025, in Anaheim, California.
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers have made a habit of turning other organizations’ castoffs into October contributors. On Tuesday, they took another swing at that formula.
The Dodgers acquired center fielder Alek Thomas from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for 17-year-old prospect Jose Requena, a teenage international signee out of Venezuela who joined the organization for a $375,000 bonus in January. To clear space on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated Michael Siani for assignment.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas (5) hits a double against the in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park.
The Dodgers traded 17-year-old prospect Jose Requena to the Diamondbacks for Alek Thomas.
Jose Requena is a teenage international signee from Venezuela who joined the Dodgers for a $375,000 bonus.
The Dodgers designated Michael Siani for assignment to clear space on their 40-man roster after acquiring Alek Thomas.
Alek Thomas plays as a center fielder for the Dodgers.
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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas (5) hits a double against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park.
At first glance, it’s the kind of under-the-radar move that barely nudges the championship odds for a roster already stacked with stars. But inside the Dodgers’ front office, this is precisely the type of transaction that has long defined the margins of their success: buy low on premium athleticism, trust the player development machine, and see if untapped upside still exists.
Thomas, 26, arrives with a resume that is equal parts intriguing and frustrating. A former second-round pick and once one of baseball’s more highly regarded prospects, he built his reputation on elite defense in center field, explosive closing speed and instincts that evaluators believed would keep him in the middle of the diamond for a decade. The bat, however, never fully caught up.
Before Arizona designated him for assignment last week, Thomas was hitting just .181 with a .563 OPS through 28 games this season. Across parts of five major league seasons, he owns a career slash line of .230/.273/.361 with 31 home runs and a .634 OPS.
And yet, there are reasons the Dodgers believe there may still be something here.
Thomas remains a plus defender in center field and an above-average runner, tools that carry value even when the offense sputters. He also has one minor league option remaining, giving the Dodgers flexibility to send him to Triple-A Oklahoma City without exposing him to waivers again.
That flexibility matters.
With Andy Pages entrenched in center field and a veteran corner mix already in place, Thomas is unlikely to step immediately into an everyday role. More realistically, he profiles as organizational depth with upside, a left-handed hitting defensive specialist the Dodgers can stash in Oklahoma City while trying to unlock offensive adjustments behind the scenes.
Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) hits a two RBI double against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium.
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Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) hits a two RBI double against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium.
And if there is one organization players around the league believe can resurrect a stalled offensive profile, it’s this one.
The Dodgers have spent the better part of a decade identifying players with one or two elite carrying tools and helping them optimize the rest. Sometimes it’s a swing change. Sometimes it’s a plate-discipline overhaul. Sometimes it’s simply a cleaner role and less pressure.
Whether this becomes anything more than a depth move will depend on whether the Dodgers can do what Arizona could not: find enough offense to make the glove matter every day.