A slump in baseball is normal, everyone has them. As a matter of fact, I think even the best players have had rough stretches where it was tough to get a hit – and by tough I mean they just did not happen. But just as often as a player enters a slump, they break out of it and begin hitting as if it never happened. Unfortunately, this has not been the case for Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson.

To start this season, the 26-year-old outfielder has amassed just two base hits in 61 at bats between Triple A and the Majors (although only eight at bats are with the big club). Not only has this been a terrible start to the year but it is also concerning that Thompson has shown no signs of power, as he has not hit the ball hard at all so far. Also, to that point, both of his hits this season are singles. So, at this point it seems time to start figuring out a fix for the young outfielder’s struggles.

The first of three solutions I have thought about is probably the least likely but it definitely has a chance. Thompson could still be injured. Last year, Trayce suffered from a serious back injury where he had small fractures in multiple places on his back. This injury prevented him from doing basic things like running and most importantly swinging a bat. This spring it was announced that Trayce has made a full recovery and is cleared for baseball activity. But, due to his poor play it begs the question of whether or not he really is healthy. A back injury is, in my opinion, the most serious injury any ball player can have besides a torn UCL. It completely takes away their strength and ultimately prevents them from doing things like hit the ball hard. Thompson has not hit the ball even close to hard this season and the ball seems to just flop off the bat every time. The solution to this would be to put him on the DL for a couple of weeks to perhaps allow his back to continue to heal. The only caveat to this plan is he needs to really be hurt. It is very hard to tell if Trayce is hurt or just playing poorly or even perhaps both.

Thompson has always been a huge favorite among Dodger fans. As such, his recent struggles with the Dodgers and at Triple-A Oklahoma City have been extremely difficult for them to watch.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The second solution would be to move him down to Double-A Tulsa. The Texas league has pretty good pitching but it is hopefully pitching Thompson can handle. The benefit of this would be to allow him to feast on what is likely a skill set of players well below his thus bringing up his confidence. For a player, it may just be a matter of getting hits not so much who it is against. A move to Tulsa would be great for Thompson, as it would have little effect on the lineups of both the OKC Dodgers and the Drillers.

The final option is the most radical of the bunch and it seems like it would be the last resort type of move. This would be to trade him or designate him for assignment thereby clearing a roster spot. At this point, it does not appear that Thompson will be of much use to the big league club in the near future. With the Dodgers hovering around .500 and also boasting the best depth in the league, there really is no need to call up the struggling outfielder even in the case of an injury. Especially with guys like O’Koyea Dickson who, as of Wednesday May 3rd, has seven home runs on the year.

So, in the end, it is really a matter of time before Dodgers fans see a move with Thompson or he will start hitting again. It will come as no surprise if any of the three solutions that were just mentioned are put into play. My guess is we see him go to Tulsa followed by a brief stint in the majors and then onto another team. But, time will tell.