Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. Its not hard to suspect that Trayce has been successful for reasons beyond pure athletic skill. Its been a long journey in professional baseball for Trayce, with a major back injury derailing his career for a time. Hes a guy you cant bet against.. \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Hes made the most of his opportunity, with the most recent example coming in two consequential moments Friday. Favorite Moment: Kirk Gibson's homer will always have a place, but Kershaw's homer on Opening Day 2013 might be the winner. I probably shouldnt be talking about this, but we can get physical and were not gonna get hurt, because we know each other, Trayce says. There were long hours spent in front of a computer, watching and replaying videos of his swing, and others around the sport he admired. Thompson, though, knows the fleeting nature of MLB success. But this game isnt about talent, its about performance at the major-league level. [18] He had one hit in seven at-bats in three games for the Athletics. It was really frustrating, especially in the middle of the season to not know what was going on and being thrown out in the fire of the major leagues. Fridays homer was his fourth in 79 at-bats for Los Angeles, and in the month of July, hes hitting .305 with five doubles, a triple and three homers. I think it's a compliment. We weren't in school yet, so it was hard to make friends, Klay tells me. Kid was born in July. Thompson also took extra time to weigh his decision, conscious that he is still jockeying for playing time in the Dodgers crowded outfield even if hes all but assured of breaking camp with the team. So this spring, hes trying to find a happy medium, confident that the right setup will allow him to succeed against pitchers of either hand. 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA DFS Targets: Is Rory McIlroy Too Chalky? Dan joined The Athletic after 5 1/2 years at NBC Sports Chicago and eight years at The North County Times, where he covered the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, four World Series, the NBA Finals, NHL Stanley Cup Final, NASCAR, UFC, Little League World Series, PGA and the NFL. But the Thompsons are outliers. Now, I got back here right towards the end of June, beginning of July. Trayce Thompson Is Grateful to Be Back in the Land of Stars A winding career has brought the 31-year-old outfielder back to Los Angeles, where he is playing a key role. Hes trying to fit him in when he can?!? He is outplaying Gallo and Taylor. Trayces take on his brother proves prophetic; its two weeks of calling before I catch Klay by phone. Latest on Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Trayce Thompson including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Anybody got data on that? Trayce Thompson and his fiance Jillian quietly had a baby, and now we have some photographic evidence of the Baby Thompson. Thompson is eligible for . He is the brother of NBA players Klay Thompson and Mychel Thompson and the son . See the receipts below: Trayce is Klay's younger brother by one year. We would be there all day, man, playing catch or shooting hoops. During his previous career as an executive at a technology company, he began writing about baseball in his spare time. It would be awesome, man., Two week later, I ask Klay the same question. After stops in L.A., Oakland, Chicago, San Diego, and a half dozen minor league teams, Trayce is back with the Dodgers, where he has found an MLB home. Starting tonight, when the Dodgers open their first-round playoff series against the San Diego Padres, Trayce will have a chance to play a pivotal role for a team for whom anything less than a World Series championship will constitute a failure. Learned to be efficient with my packing.. He came back from two major injuries when a lot of people counted him out and didnt know if he was gonna be who he is or whatever. Trayce Thompson had a .256 average last season and a .221 average over his career. Its why he wanted to play in next months World Baseball Classic, hopeful the intensity of the competition will help catapult him into the regular season. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The family called him Bamm-Bamm growing up because he carried his bat around everywhere. After being cut by the team two years later, he struggled to find another steady home in the majors, bouncing around eight organizations as a journeyman Class AAA player. Trayce Thompson was born in Los Angeles, CA. (Chris Williams / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images), The Thompson brothers, Mychel, Klay and Trayce, pose for a photo after last Thursdays game. You don't necessarily know if you're gonna get back to being the same athlete you were. The Dodgers reportedly have been in the market for another bat leading up to the trade deadline Tuesday. He produced a solid season at Triple-A Columbus, hitting 24 homers, but never had an opportunity with Cleveland and was released Aug. 1. In 2009 combined, Thompson hit .198 in 106 at-bats. Jackson-Davis scored 23 points with 10 rebounds . Thompson ended his first major-league season in 2015 posting a 147 OPS+ with the White Sox, meaning his on-base-plus-slugging percentage was 47% higher than that of the average MLB hitter. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. He spent six-plus seasons in the minors before reaching the majors. Mychal was delighted. We will play without you. Its clear Trayce is used to questions about his famous family. A big Dodgers fan, Mychal Thompson said his sons return is a dream come true. He also pointed out it could lead to another family celebration come November. us. When you hurt your back, its just such a flip of the coin. Trayce grins. To get two rings. Hes got a great work ethic and belief in himself and hes not going to give up. Its the club with which, six years ago, he experienced the peak of his career. Klay was gutted when Trayce got the news about his back, but it only was when he faced his own adversitymissing consecutive seasons with a torn ACL and then a torn Achillesthat he fully understood his brothers grueling stretch. Thompson actually made the play look much easier than it was, thanks to a great jump off the bat and direct route to the ball. Klay and Mychel were enamored. 13 years in, his hard work is finally. But Trayce has done a great job. [3], On May 11, 2021, Thompson was traded to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations. Before that, he covered the Angels, the Kings and almost everything else the L.A. sports scene had to offer. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. I was just physically questioning, Can I get back to who I was?, The minor league season was canceled for Covid-19 in 2020, so Trayce went north to spend time with Klay and Mychel, who lived together in the Bay. Dodgers @ Padres. Trayce started for much of July and August, but then trades and lineup shuffles sent him back to the bench. I want him to achieve everything, Trayce says. It really boiled down to not hitting the fastball versus lefties, he said. Thompson, 31, has faced plenty of challenges in his 13-year career. Help; FANDOM. I cant speak right now to what the role is gonna look like on opening day, what its gonna look like in the middle of the season But were gonna need him.. For most families, a kid playing meaningful innings for the best team in baseball would be the apex. He has also played for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and the San Diego Padres. In 146 plate appearances, Thompson is hitting .297/.384/.563 for a .946 OPS that is 58 percent better than league average. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 3, 2023. After Golden States Game 4 win at TD Garden on June 10, Trayce had a gut feeling he would be celebrating with his family the following Thursday. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Hernndez: Dodgers should trade for Juan Soto and avoid mistake Angels made with Mike Trout, MLB to Congress: Without our antitrust exemption, players and fans lose, Another Trevor Bauer defamation suit is thrown out, Who could replace Gavin Lux? Trayce wasnt the only member of the Thompson family experiencing adversity at the time. Trayces role for the rest of the season remains unclear. Roberts hinted at such hesitancy when asked at the start of spring about Thompsons participation, saying: Im never going to discourage guys from playing for their countries. Tennis DFS Projections and Ownership for DraftKings and FanDuel, PGA DFS Optimizer Picks Arnold Palmer Invitational: Jordan Spieth at a Ball Striking Venue is a Lock. There was a time Thompson thought hed be with the Dodgers for the long haul. This week, that process led Thompson to watching old film of his rookie season with the Chicago White Sox in 2015, when his ability to punish left-handers originally helped him break into the league. Im very motivated to prove myself at the major leagues. I knew they were going to win Game 6, Trayce Thompson said. Thats what it comes down to.. Required fields are marked *. Simona Thompson (his best friend) Connie Morrison (his ex-best friend) Tracy Hodges (his genderbent counterpart) And then, of course, theres the Klay of it all. Last time we checked, Klay has a new younger girlfriend. He was someone we watched closely and always rooted for.. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) "Coming up, you always think you're. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. An outfielder who wasnt even on the roster until late June after being acquired for cash considerations from the Tigers has become one of the key cogs in a Dodgers juggernaut that continues rolling unimpeded toward a ninth National League West title in 10 years. Fridays win was a case in point. He developed quick bonds in his new clubhouse, even moving in with Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Alex Wood. He also had many self talks, trying to replenish his psyche with confidence and conviction.. Trayce Thompson has played for 5 teams; the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. I love the game, dont get me wrong. But, of course, with a Showtime Laker for a father they played just as much basketball. ; High School Santa Margarita Catholic High School; Debut August 4, 2015; Born March 15, 1991 in Los Angeles, CA USA; BR page. There was an elementary school behind their new Southern California house, and they spent the whole summer on the campuss fields and courts. Trayce is currently in the Chicago Cubs organization. Though Thompsons back was healthy by the 2017 season, he struggled to hit. Stop being surprised! Jack Harris covers the Dodgers for the Los Angeles Times. Youre just trying to make the play, and lucky for us, we came out on the right side of it.. Do you have a sports website? Trayce is currently in the Chicago Cubs organization. He hit for power and played strong defense at all three outfield spots for the White Sox in a good 2015 debut season. [13], After recovering from his injuries, Thompson was optioned to the Oklahoma City Dodgers to begin the 2017 season, but was called up to the parent club partway through the season. One of the quirks of the post-pandemic minor-league schedule is teams play six-game series each week from Tuesday to Sunday. It all comes to an end at some point, but I want to make sure I can look myself in the mirror and say I did everything I could.. After a dream resurgence in the major leagues last season, Trayce Thompson has even bigger goals in mind for 2023. After leaving corporate America in 2014, he started doing it professionally. Get our Dodgers Dugout newsletter for insights, news and much more. Seeing him go after it day by day I was so proud and happy for him.. In 2010, Thompson hit .229 in 210 at-bats. Not only is Klay part of the organization, their oldest brother, Mychel, became a coach earlier in the year. I learned so much just watching him, Trayce Thompson said. I feel like Im in a good spot physically and mentally to do that. After the Warriors championship parade concluded Monday, Mychal Thompson flipped on Toledos game to watch Trayce play. But in my opinion, I wasnt very good.. I ask Trayce what would it feel like to win a ring with this Dodgers team the same year his brother won his fourth. [24] Trayce Nikolas Thompson (born March 15, 1991) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Or write about sports? Who knows? pic.twitter.com/yJTFAzIspp. Man, he doesnt care, he says. Its been a mental grind.. His current contract terms are 1 yr/$1.45M (23). Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Admittedly Surprised by Success of Trayce Thompson. [29] In six games in the majors, he had one hit in 14 at-bats. But once he arrived, Thompson thrived. [36], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 01:10, "Thompson brothers from family with talent to burn", "Trayce Thompson minor league statistics", "White Sox add Sanchez and Thompson, claim Elmore", "White Sox call up OF Trayce Thompson, brother of NBA star Klay Thompson", "VIDEO: O.C. On Monday, the Dodgers traded for Thompson, who had an upcoming opt-out clause in his minor-league deal with Detroit. Ad Choices. Ive certainly looked at him as inspiration. Deadmau5 Wife: Is He Married To Kelly Zimmerman? [3] In 2012, Thompson moved up through the White Sox farm system starting with the Winston-Salem Dash of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League, then moved up to the Birmingham Barons of the Class AA Southern League and the Charlotte Knights of the Class AAA International League. When he received the itinerary for the upcoming road trip on June 9, Thompson noticed Toledo played its next series at Triple-A Worcester, just up the road from Boston. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. You cant ask for anything better than this, to play here in L.A. for a great team like the Dodgers, who have a chance to get to the Series. As a result, Thompson rarely checks the schedule more than a few days ahead of time. Its been a mental grind., I always knew I was capable, he said, so I always saw a light at the end of the tunnel.. In one regard, the 31-year-old is in the opposite boat as Taylor. To Thompson, its another reminder of how much his career has changed over the last year and why hes wary of not squandering his second lease on life in the big leagues.