Trayce Thompson has struggled in his platoon role for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, and now the team will need to rely on other options as he recovers from a left oblique strain.
“With the oblique, unfortunately it seems like 30 days is going to be the floor,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ll kind of re-assess at that point, which is unfortunate.”
In addition to losing Saturday’s game to the Yankees, the Dodgers finished it without Thompson available due to the oblique strain he suffered on a check swing in the seventh inning.
Thompson finished the plate appearance by drawing a walk, but was removed at the start of the eighth inning. That required the Dodgers to shift J.D. Martinez into left field for the first time this season and resulted in forfeiting the designated hitter spot of their lineup.
Roberts said after the loss he wasn’t certain of the severity of Thompson’s oblique strain, but it was already apparent he would need to go on the 10-day injured list.
“It is frustrating,” Roberts said of the timing with Thompson’s oblique injury. “I feel for him. He took a good at-bat right there and I was looking forward to him playing on Wednesday in Cincinnati. Now we’ve got to re-assess, but I’m sure he’s really disappointed.”
Thompson has only hit .155/.310/.366 in 36 games this season, but more recently began to emerge from a prolonged skid. After ending a historic 0-for-39 drought, Thompson 4-for-his-last-6 with a home run, two RBI and two walks.
Jonny DeLuca has chance to replace Trayce Thompson
With Thompson going on the IL, the Dodgers recalled prospect Jonny DeLuca from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
DeLuca began the season with Double-A Tulsa and only spent two weeks with OKC prior to joining the Dodgers for the first time in his career.
Roberts said DeLuca is expected to receive the bulk of his opportunities against left-handed pitching, and primarily play left field and center field.
DeLuca hit .362/.423/.681 with six doubles, three home runs and nine RBI in 52 plate appearances against left-handers in the Minors this year. Albeit at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, that rate of success suggests DeLuca may be better equipped to fill a platoon role than Thompson was.
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