Trayce

Thompson

Thompson came into camp as a non-roster invite and after he slashed .250/.308/.583 with two home runs and six RBI, he’ll stay in the Mets’ farm system as a depth option for the outfield.

Thomspon was terrific in 239 plate appearances with the Dodgers in 2022 (.268/.364/.537) and dreadful in 179 plate appearances with the Dodgers and White Sox last season (.163/.285/.294). He’s now trying to make the Mets as a non-roster player, but it’s probably not going to happen unless an outfielder ahead of him gets hurt.

Thompson strengthens New York’s outfield depth heading into spring training and will be vying for a spot on their season-opening roster in a bench role. The well-traveled 32-year-old outfielder split last season between the White Sox and Dodgers, finishing with a .579 OPS to accompany six homers and two steals across 179 plate appearances. He’s merely extra organizational depth at this stage of his career, but he’s a perfectly capable emergency stopgap.

Thompson, who was part of the Lance Lynn deal with the Dodgers, went 14-for-82 with one homer for the White Sox, leaving him at .162/.285/.294 in 179 plate appearances for the season. He had a great run with the Dodgers in 2022, hitting .268/.364/.537 in 239 plate appearances, but he’ll likely only be offered minor league deals as a free agent.

Robert Jr. gets a well-deserved day off after playing in the last ten contests for the floudering White Sox. Robert Jr. is having a superb year at the plate, hitting .262/.314/.531 with 35 homers and 17 swipes across 575 plate appearances. Trayce Thompson will patrol center field while batting sixth in his place.

The hope was that Robert Jr. would be ready to return for Monday’s showdown against Seattle after sitting out a pair of contests over the weekend due to right quad tightness, but that isn’t happening. The positive news at least is that there’s no indication that he’ll wind up requiring a trip to the injured list. It’ll be Trayce Thompson in center field on Monday afternoon in his absence.

The winning run scored when Cal Raleigh tried to pick off automatic runner Tim Anderson at second base, and J.P. Crawford hit Anderson in the helmet with the throw after Anderson took off for third. Thompson’s homer came four innings earlier. It was his first extra-base hit in 11 games since arriving from the Dodgers in the Lance Lynn trade. He’ll be used primarily against lefties the rest of the way.

The 24-year-old has been struggling at the plate once again, so he has found himself on the bench more often over the past few weeks. Even with a right-hander on the hill, Trayce Thompson will start in his place on Friday night and bat eighth for the White Sox against Peter Lambert at Coors Field.

Thompson has played in only 36 games this season, most recently missing time with an oblique strain, but will start in center field in his first game for the White Sox after coming over from the Dodgers in the Lance Lynn trade. The 32-year-old is hitting .155/.310/.366 with a 42.5 percent strikeout rate so it’s unlikely he will be a regular starter in Chicago; however, with Luis Robert getting a day off on Thursday, Thompson will get a chance to impress his new team.

Thompson — who is currently on the 60-day injured list with an oblique strain — has been out on a minor league rehab assignment and is nearing a return to action. The 32-year-old has hit just .155/.310/.366 with five homers and 14 RBI in 87 plate appearances on the season.