Trayce Thompson waits, then lifts the Dodgers with three homers

Trayce Thompson hit three homers on Saturday in the Dodgers’ 10–1 win. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

by Cary Osborne

Trayce Thompson’s professional baseball history has been about waiting for a turn. It continued last season with the Dodgers in his return to the club when he performed his way into the everyday lineup.

And after two games with rookie James Outman in center field to begin the 2023 season, Thompson was in the lineup for the first time and turned in a historic offensive explosion.

The 32-year-old veteran hit three home runs and drove in eight RBI in the Dodgers’ 10–1 win against Arizona on Saturday night.

After the third, the typically modest outfielder finally relented to the fans who implored him to give a curtain call.

“Everyone kind of knows my journey, and it’s been a long journey. And to be back here, it does mean a lot to me. I know I can do it, though,” Thompson said. “Most of my Major League moments have been here. And so it does mean a lot. But like I said, I always have belief and conviction in myself. So I know I can have nights like this. I’m just thankful that tonight was one of those nights.”

Thompson hit a grand slam in the Dodgers’ five-run first inning off Arizona left-handed starter Madison Bumgarner, a three-run homer in the fifth inning off right-handed reliever Kevin Ginkel and a solo home run off right-hander Carlos Vargas in the eighth inning.

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Thompson hit 10 home runs and had a 1.010 OPS against righties last year. He hit three homers and had a .621 OPS against lefties.

This Spring Training, he had three hits in 44 plate appearances.

It all lined up for a difficult matchup off the bat against Bumgarner, who he was 1-for-8 in his career leading up to the first-inning matchup.

Thompson, though, slaughtered a middle/middle changeup from the lefty Bumgarner in his first plate appearance of the season and drove it 406 feet.

Thompson now leads the Majors — in just one game played — in RBI and is tied with Colorado’s C.J. Cron for the lead in homers.

Thompson became the eighth Dodger with at least eight RBI in a game. Gil Hodges (8/31/50) and James Loney (9/28/06) are the only Dodgers with more RBI in a game with nine.

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“Trayce is one of the hardest working guys I’ve been around. He just grinds day in day out,” said Saturday starter Clayton Kershaw. “It’s not easy to sit on the bench face lefties — first step out of the season bases loaded, there’s a lot going on right there. And so for him to put that swing on the ball to start a year is pretty impressive. … It’s really fun to see him have success after the journey that he’s had. You can’t start any better than that.”

Thompson’s personal historic day coincided with one of the Dodgers’ greatest historymakers adding another feat to his career.

Kershaw induced 13 swings and misses and notched 21 called strikes out of 76 pitches. The 44.7 called strike and whiff percentage is the highest of his career.

The Dodger ace, in his first game of 2023, struck out nine batters in six innings, allowing four hits, no walks and one run. The one run was by Kershaw nemesis Christian Walker, who hit a home run for Arizona in the second inning.

Kershaw passed Mike Mussina in the game for 23rd on the Major League all-time strikeout list and now has 2,816. He also has 198 career wins.

“Going into a new season, it’s different. You’ve got to get yourself acclimated to the atmosphere and there’s just no way to prepare — Spring Training or not. A big league game is different,” Kershaw said. “To be able to get back out there and remember what you’re doing — and it was nice to pitch with that big lead today — it was a great way to start the year.”

Just Dingers J.D. Martinez hit his first home run as a Dodger — a solo shot in the seventh inning. He went 2-for-3 in the game with a double.

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The King of the Three-Inning Save Andre Jackson pitched the final three innings for the Dodgers and allowed one hit and no runs. He earned a save for his work. Jackson has appeared in eight Major League games and has three career saves — all three-inning saves and one in each of the last three seasons.

Notable Quote The legendary Sandy Koufax has been in attendance at all three Dodger games this season.

“I think the world of Sandy. So to have him watch and say good job after the game is definitely very cool,” Kershaw said.

What’s Next The Dodgers (2–1) will play the Diamondbacks at 1:10 p.m. at Dodger Stadium in Noah Syndergaard’s Dodger debut. Manager Dave Roberts said Mookie Betts will start at second base. Thompson will also be in the lineup.

“I’ve developed a new three-homer rule,” Roberts said. “You hit three home runs you play the next day.”