D-backs’ Alek Thomas: Daulton Varsho deal was a ‘win-win situation’ for guys getting traded
Feb 28, 2023, 6:42 PM | Updated: 9:13 pm
Outfielders (L-R) Jake McCarthy #30, Alek Thomas #5 and Corbin Carroll #7 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in the MLB game at Chase Field on August 29, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Phillies 13-7. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Heading into this past offseason, the Arizona Diamondbacks knew they had to make a decision as to what to do with the abundance of young outfield talent at their disposal.
And after the dust settled from the 2022 winter meetings, Arizona now has a young, speedy, all-left-handed outfield trio of Corbin Carroll (22), Jake McCarthy (25) and Alek Thomas (22) to build a future around.
“It was a little bit of a weight lifted off my shoulders but I know I still gotta go out and earn some playing time out there,” Thomas told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Tuesday.
That came after the Diamondbacks traded Daulton Varsho and Cooper Hummel, as well as designated Stone Garrett for assignment.
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“I think we all knew that it was going to be one of us,” Thomas said. “Probably not Corbin but me, Jake and Daulton were definitely looking at each other and talking to each other like, ‘Dang, it might be one of us.’
“We enjoyed the offseason but at the same time, you have that in the back of your mind. I just bought a house out here so I was really hoping that I’d stay.”
Thomas is wise beyond his years.
In December, the D-backs traded 26-year-old Varsho to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for top catching prospect Gabriel Moreno and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
And in the crazy nature that is sports business, Thomas found out on a plane back home from vacation.
“It was crazy. Like, ‘Dang. Thank goodness it wasn’t me,'” he said. “It was a win-win situation for whoever was getting traded. That team wanted Varsho and we got two good players for him. I talk to Varsho a lot and he’s loving it over there so nothing but the best for him.”
The aforementioned acquisition of 27-year-old Lewis, who was the 2020 AL Rookie of the Year with the Seattle Mariners, also came before Varsho was dealt.
So when that news dropped, Thomas knew there were way too many players than positions available in the Diamondbacks outfield.
“I was like, ‘Dang, man. One of us is definitely gone now,'” he said. “I didn’t look too much into it. I knew one of us was gone but I was really hoping that I would stay.
“I bought a house out here because this is where I want to be so I’m really happy they had that confidence in me and faith in me for me to step up.”
