Alek Thomas Talks about Opening Day Plus Explains What a Blaze Moment is

Jake Oliver | Mar 29, 2024

Mar 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) makes a / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Alek Thomas and the Arizona Diamondbacks put on a baseball clinic during their Opening Day victory in which they beat the Colorado Rockies 16-1. It was a historical game for both the franchise and MLB as numerous records were set. Even Lourdes Gurriel Jr. set a team record for most RBI on Opening Day. Thomas had multiple highlight plays at the plate and in the field.

During the fourth inning, Thomas raced back to rob Montero of a two-run hit and keep the lead to 15. Thomas displayed his elite route ability to track the ball and the ability to go off-schedule and leap to make the catch. It was yet another impressive display of his ability to be a likely Gold Glove winner someday.

This Alek Thomas catch was overshadowed by the offensive explosiveness tonight, and maybe by the fact that this type of insane play has just become routine for him. pic.twitter.com/IYCsiRMLME

— Alex D’Agostino (@AlexDagAZ) March 29, 2024

Alek Thomas proved how hard he had worked on hitting left-handed pitching this offseason during Opening Day. Against Kyle Freeland, Thomas laced a double down the right-field line that scored Gabriel Moreno. It was one of two hits for Thomas that day as he went two-for-five with a strikeout and a run scored.

The majority of the action came in the third inning when the D-backs sent 18 batters to the plate and set multiple franchise records with 14 runs scored in the inning and 13 hits.

Thomas said after the game about the inning that it was "Crazy, just being a part of that. I'm normally one of the guys that gets out twice in those types of innings so it was pretty cool to just be a part of that, watch everyone have good at-bats, have good swings...so it was awesome to do."

Thomas had fun after the game about how no one wants to be the guy who gets out in that kind of run-barrage inning where everyone is having batting practice. It created extra pressure on each batter because they didn't want to get out. "Definitely, I don't want to be the guy who gets out whenever else is not getting out but it was awesome just to be a part of that."

Thomas said how vibe in the dugout was very relaxed and how important a lot of the veteran guys that are on the team are now and how "they've been great leaders so far here in Spring Training and this first game."

Newcomer Eugenio Suarez impressed Thomas quite a bit with his standout defense at third base. Suarez made multiple highlight plays including gloving a laser line drive that he jumped up to catch in the second inning.

"Suarez did a great job today, picking it at third. I haven't seen him too often. This is our first game together in the regular season. It was really cool to see him put in work."

Of course, one of the most important moments of the game was seeing rookie Blaze Alexander get his first MLB hit and RBI in his career and in his first game. It came in that run-filled third inning when Alexander dropped a hit in front of Brenton Doyle in centerfield to score a run.

"We were all very excited for everyone to get a knock and for Blaze to get his first hit. We were very excited for him. He's just a great a teammate right there. You can't really ask for someone better."

Thomas did laugh at Alexander for a brain fart moment later in the game when Alexander thought he worked a walk but the pitch was ball three and not four.

"I started laughing in the on-deck circle. I was like he's got to get a hit here...That was funny. It was definitely a Blaze moment right there...He's a good kid. I've been playing with him for a while so it was cool seeing him get his first knock in the Bigs."

When asked what a Blaze moment is, all he said to was "You guys will see here once it starts to go on. He's hilarious, he's pretty much a golden retriever personality so he's awesome and you guys will see more Blaze moments."