Alek Thomas added yet another gem to his defensive highlight reel on Friday night, flashing Gold Glove-caliber instincts and athleticism with an absurd catch against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder made a full-speed leap into the wall in left-center field to rob Jordan Walker of extra bases in the top of the fifth inning.
Walker launched a 411-foot cutter off Brandon Pfaadt to the deepest part of Chase Field — a ball that would have been a home run in 27 of 30 MLB stadiums, per Statcast. But Thomas had other plans. The 24-year-old sprinted to track it down, perfectly timed his jump at the wall, and snagged it at the top of the padding before crashing to the warning track.
ALEK THOMAS UNREAL GRAB pic.twitter.com/yGWwerZCVb
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 19, 2025
Thomas popped up with the ball in his glove, raised it proudly, and beamed as he tossed it back in — a moment of defensive brilliance that electrified the Chase Field crowd and preserved Arizona’s 5-0 lead. Pfaadt followed the play with a strikeout and groundout to end the inning, giving a hat tip to his center fielder as he jogged off the field.
D-Backs listening in for offers on outfielders not named Corbin Carroll
Thomas has made a habit of delivering in the outfield since his MLB debut in 2022. Just before the All-Star break, he slid on the warning track in San Diego to rob Jackson Merrill in the ninth inning, sealing a Diamondbacks win. Heading into Friday’s game, he had logged two outs above average (OAA), showing steady improvement in the field this year.
While Thomas continues to anchor center field with highlight-reel grabs, his name has also surfaced in trade rumors. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Arizona has fielded calls on several outfielders, including Thomas, Jake McCarthy, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Randal Grichuk. General manager Mike Hazen hasn’t committed to selling or buying yet, but with the D-backs sitting five-and-a-half games out of an NL Wild Card spot, their path at the deadline remains uncertain.
Of the group, Grichuk is the most likely trade chip. He’s on a one-year deal worth $5 million, with additional incentives that kick in as he approaches 200 plate appearances. He’s shown pop at the plate this season with seven home runs and 13 doubles, but his contract includes a $3 million buyout for 2025 that could complicate trade talks unless Arizona includes cash.
Gurriel, meanwhile, carries a larger contract and an uncertain future. His current slash line of .251/.299/.421 (98 wRC+) isn’t enough to inspire teams to take on the $18 million he’s guaranteed beyond 2025. A deal would almost certainly require the Diamondbacks to eat salary.
As for Thomas and McCarthy, both are under team control through 2028 and set to hit arbitration this offseason. Thomas is having his best year offensively, hitting .245 with a .295 OBP and .366 slugging. Though still below league average (84 wRC+), it marks progress for a player who’s yet to fully find his rhythm at the plate in the majors. His defense, however, remains elite — and Friday’s grab was more proof of that.
Thomas’ glove alone might be reason enough for Arizona to hang onto him through the trade deadline. After all, game-saving plays like Friday’s don’t show up on the box score — but they do show up in the win column.
