The Arizona Diamondbacks have designated Alek Thomas for assignment while calling up top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt. This move comes as the team struggles with a 17-19 record, sitting 5.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West.
Why Diamondbacks DFA'd Alek Thomas in surprising roster move originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have had a bit of a rough go of things this season. At 17-19, they're 5.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top spot in the NL West.
There's still ample time for things to start going their way, but they need to make some changes if they want to turn things around.
And according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, it changes things they did. The Diamondbacks are calling up top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt, but surprisingly, have designated Alek Thomas for assignment.
"The Arizona Diamondbacks DFA starting center fielder Alek Thomas in surprisng move and call up OF Ryan Waldschmidt, their NO. 1 prospect," Nightengale reports.
But why did the D-Backs DFA someone like Thomas, who's been a consistent starter for Arizona the last few years? Well, he actually hasn't been that valuable for Arizona.
The Diamondbacks DFA'd Alek Thomas as part of a roster change to improve their performance amid a challenging season.
Ryan Waldschmidt is a top prospect for the Diamondbacks, and he is being called up to potentially strengthen the team's roster.
The Diamondbacks currently have a record of 17-19, placing them 5.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
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The Diamondbacks cut ties with Thomas this season as the 26-year-old outfielder hasn't actually been that great for Arizona.
While his defense has been perfectly fine, and he's stolen four bases already this season, his offensive production leaves a lot to be desired.
He has a .181 batting average with a .563 OPS. He's never been much of a hitter, with his OPS+ never once reaching 100 or league average.
Thomas has a .734 OPS during the Diamondbacks' 2023 run to the World Series, including a clutch hit against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Thomas hasn't been nearly good enough to justify the Diamondbacks keeping him on the roster. But, why DFA him when there very likely could be a team interested in a trade?
Well, he's technically not hitting the open market just yet, as the Diamondbacks can still trade him if a team comes calling. He isn't a good hitter, but his defense and base running make him a valuable bench piece.
He was out of options, and the D-Backs needed a roster spot to open up for Waldschmidt. That's why Thomas, a starting center fielder with solid defense, was DFA'd by Arizona.
While Thomas wasn't traded officially, it would not be a surprise if some team came and offered the Diamondbacks something for the 26-year-old outfielder, who has 2.5 career bWAR with a .230 average, .634 OPS, and 75 OPS+.