The Arizona Diamondbacks, who are one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball, made a surprising roster move on Wednesday to option the struggling Alek Thomas to Triple-A Reno. In a corresponding move, the Diamondbacks called up infielder Blaze Alexander.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo spoke about the decision to send Thomas down to the Minor Leagues before Wednesday's 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies, per Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com
“I hate to say that guys are out-playing one another, but really that’s ultimately what it was, and he needed to go down and just get into a rhythm offensively and defensively,” Lovullo said. “I also explained to him, ‘We’re a little thin on the infield … and we want to get you back up here as soon as possible, but there’s work to do.'”
In his comments, Lovullo is pointing to how well outfielder Jake McCarthy is playing and All-star second baseman Ketel Marte's recent injury as the primary reasons why Thomas was sent down. McCarthy has been on an absolute tear lately, hitting .460 over his last 17 games and has more-than earned an every day spot in the lineup. Marte, who injured his ankle on Saturday, is currently listed as day-to-day and is hoping to avoid an IL stint.
By sending Thomas down and promoting Alexander, the Diamondbacks are able to have a more clear path to playing time for McCarthy while providing more cover in the infield in case Marte has to remain out. Thomas was hitting just .191 this season, and he just couldn't justify a spot on the Major League roster especially with the need at second base.
Alek Thomas' future with the Diamondbacks after being optioned to Triple-A
Thomas is just 24 years old and still has a lot of potential. Despite his struggles this season, he is still expected to play a significant role in the Diamondbacks' future according to Lovullo.
“He’s frustrated, to be expected,” Lovullo said. “Those are always hard conversations, and I shared that with him. I told him this has been an agonizing conversation for me. We love Alek Thomas. He’s going to be a very good player for this organization for a long time.”
Last postseason, Thomas flashed some of that potential during Game 4 of the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies when he hit a pinch-hit, game-tying two-run home run in the eighth inning to help give the Diamondbacks a 6-5 victory on their way to winning the National League pennant.
The Diamondbacks have been on a tear lately, winning 18 of their last 21 and catapulting themselves back into the NL West race. Thomas still has a chance to prove himself in Triple-A and make his way back to contributing the Major League team.
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