LOS ANGELES_Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called Trayce Thompson on Tuesday afternoon. By that point, Thompson already had learned that his tenure as a Dodger was likely over: The team designated him for assignment, which meant the other 29 teams had a chance to claim him on waivers. Roberts still wanted to reach out to Thompson, a 27-year-old outfielder who was a well-liked member of the clubhouse fabric the previous two seasons.
"He saw the depth that we had," Roberts said before the final game of the Freeway Series. "(Thompson) understood the situation, seeing the guys we were playing. Still, the finality of when you're going to be designated for assignment, that always jolts you a little bit. But Trayce handled it like a professional."
The departure of Thompson accelerated the finalization of the Dodgers roster for Thursday's season opener. With Thompson out of the fold, the final two spots will be contested between outfielder Joc Pederson, outfielder Andrew Toles and catcher-third baseman Kyle Farmer. The favorites appear to be Farmer and Pederson, although Toles has out-performed Pederson this spring.
Toles and Pederson are left-handed hitters. Thompson is a right-handed batter, which limited his opportunities. The team features a trio of right-handed outfielders in Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor and Matt Kemp, with utility man Enrique Hernandez also deserving opportunities. Thompson was out of minor league options, but Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, still described the decision to cut him loose as "extremely difficult."
"It was just tough," Friedman said. "We felt like with him, his best chance to hit his stride was to play more often. Which would be difficult here right now. He's very much a rhythm-type player, and in a part-time role, it wouldn't do him much good, or the team."
Thompson, son of former Laker Mychal and brother of Golden State Warriors star Klay, made a splash in the first half of 2016. Acquired from the Chicago White Sox the previous winter, Thompson hit 13 homers in 80 games. His production sagged as he dealt with a back injury, which eventually was diagnosed as a fracture.
Slowed by rehabilitation, Thompson played sparingly in the majors last season. He hit .122 in 27 games and finished with a .483 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Thompson posted a .633 OPS in exhibition games this spring.
The team has a 10-day window to see if Thompson clears the waiver wire. If no other team claims him, the Dodgers can offer him an assignment to triple-A Oklahoma City, where Thompson spent the majority of 2017. Roberts expected another team to claim Thompson.
"That's our hope," Roberts said. "He did a lot of good things for us. What a tremendous baseball player, person."
As a corresponding move, the Dodgers claimed Cory Mazzoni, a 28-year-old right-handed pitcher, from the Chicago Cubs. Mazzoni has a 17.28 earned-run average in 14 big league appearances. He spent most of last season in San Diego's minor league system. The Cubs claimed him off waivers in November.
The Dodgers optioned Mazzoni to Oklahoma City. They were likely to try to put him on waivers to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
