Diamondbacks Playing Dangerous Game With Alek Thomas Dodgers Trade

On Tuesday morning, an era came to the end for the Arizona Diamondbacks, as they found a (perhaps surprising) trade partner for outfielder Alek Thomas: the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Arizona had made a bit of a curious decision to DFA Thomas earlier in the week as No. 1 prospect and outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt was called up to the majors. GM Mike Hazen was clear that the D-backs intended to find a trade partner for Thomas at the time.

And so, they did. Thomas will head to Los Angeles (and will be optioned to their minor league system), in exchange for a 6-foot-3, 228-pound outfielder by the name of Jose Requena, who is just 17 years old.

Clearly, the Diamondbacks felt as if it was time to move on from Thomas. But, especially considering his destination, the deal does not come without some level of risk.

Diamondbacks trading Alek Thomas to Dodgers could be trouble

Apr 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas against the Toronto Blue Jays at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Diamondbacks do not have the luxury of watching their former player from afar in this instance. Arizona must face the Dodgers over and over, every year that baseball is played. If Thomas is able to find his way to LA's major league roster, the D-backs will have to face the ramifications of their trade, and there's no way to avoid it.

Because despite the obvious struggles, Thomas' raw talent and tools have never been in question. He's always had a high level of athleticism, a potential for extreme power output and natural defensive instincts. There was simply no consistency.

Those factors alone make him the shining example of a change-of-scenery candidate. Starting over with a new organization and different coaching — particularly in a well-coached organization like the Dodgers — makes the risk feel that much greater.

And though Thomas has never gone out of his way to express frustration with the D-backs, there's a high likelihood he may be able to put together some emotionally-charged results when facing his former team. The "revenge game" trope is a real thing, even if the 26-year-old outfielder is not a regular offensive contributor for LA.

Trading Thomas does, unfortunately, make sense for Diamondbacks

Jun 1, 2025; Phoenix, Ariz., U.S.; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas (5) high-fives teammate Geraldo Perdomo (2) after their 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals at Chase Field. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At the same time, Thomas simply has not been able to respond to adjustments in a way that provided results in a consistent manner. He worked to quiet his leg-kick motion this spring training, but that manifested just a .181/.222/.340 slash, with regular poor-quality contact.

For his major league career, Thomas has given the D-backs plenty of highlight moments on both sides of the ball, but holds a mere .634 OPS in parts of five MLB seasons.

Still, there's no denying what Thomas meant to Arizona. Not only for the NLCS home run that spurred on a pennant victory and a run to the World Series, but also for his highlight-reel defensive work in center field. He played a crucial role in reviving a struggling organization after the horrors of 2021.

Ultimately, this trade may not come back to haunt the Diamondbacks with regard to long-term production. After all, Thomas' departure was the sign of a new era of D-backs outfielders. Arizona is opting to move forward with Waldschmidt, Corbin Carroll and (when healthy) Jordan Lawlar for the foreseeable future.

But it's always dangerous to deal a player to a division rival, especially one with as much recent success as the Dodgers. Thomas could very well have a chance to torment his old team for seasons to come.

A departure from the organization that drafted him may be a turning point in his major league career, and that could be a painful reality for D-backs fans who cheered Thomas on in his Arizona tenure.

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