Outfielder Trayce Thompson feels ‘super blessed’ to return for a 3rd stint with the Chicago White Sox – The Denver Post

Trayce Thompson compared the feeling of putting on a Chicago White Sox uniform for a third stint to being drafted again.

“Never could have envisioned this,” the outfielder, whom the Sox selected in the second round of the 2009 major-league draft, said Thursday morning at Globe Life Field. “Still feels surreal to me.”

Thompson appeared in a combined 92 games with the Sox in 2015 and 2018. He was back in the lineup as the Sox completed the three-game series Thursday against the Texas Rangers.

“I’m really excited,” he said, “and now it’s time to help these guys win some games.”

The Sox acquired Thompson as part of the trade that sent starter Lance Lynn and reliever Joe Kelly to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 28. After a short rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte, he joined the Sox.

Thompson went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the 5-3 loss to the Rangers in front of 29,804. He reached base in the eighth when a wild pitch on strike three got away from catcher Mitch Garver.

The Sox were swept in the series and are a season-worst 24 games under .500. They scored all of their runs in the first inning against Max Scherzer, who was making his Rangers debut after being acquired in a trade with the New York Mets. Yasmani Grandal drew a bases-loaded walk and Gavin Sheets had a two-run single in the inning.

The Rangers scored one run in the second and another in the third. They took the lead for good in the fourth. Garver hit a solo homer to tie it and Marcus Semien put the Rangers ahead with a solo blast.

Sox starter Touki Toussaint allowed four runs on five hits with nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Scherzer allowed the three runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts and two walks in six innings for the win.

“That’s a really tough lineup to navigate through, and we just came up short,” manager Pedro Grifol said.

The Sox rested Luis Robert Jr., giving Thompson the opportunity to start in center field.

Thompson received a call from Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes informing him of the trade, which also featured minor-league pitchers Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure coming to the Sox organization.

“I seriously couldn’t believe it,” Thompson said. “I felt the writing was on the wall personally with that team in L.A. but never thought it would have been here. I’m happy to join this group and this new staff and see a lot of familiar faces as well.”

Thompson slashed .155/.310/.366 with five home runs, 14 RBIs and 12 runs in 36 games with the Dodgers this season. He had been on the injured list since June 4 with a strained left oblique.

“It was just tough sledding for me from the jump,” Thompson said. “I had a good night my first game of the year (hitting three homers and driving in eight on April 1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks), but since then it was trying to find my rhythm. I never really found it until recently when I started playing games again.

“I reevaluated everything when I got hurt. I’ve been in a decent spot and now it’s about going out and competing and helping these guys win.”

Thompson, 32, has a career .215/.302/.426 slash line. He has 44 homers, 123 RBIs and 123 runs in 334 games during parts of eight major-league seasons with the Sox (2015, ‘18, ‘23), Dodgers (2016-17, ‘22-23), Oakland Athletics (2018), Chicago Cubs (2021) and San Diego Padres (2022).

“He gives us the versatility to give some guys a rest,” Grifol said Wednesday. “He’s a really good outfielder, he’s been there, he’s done it, so we’ll see how it goes.

“Really good guy, good makeup guy. He’ll be good in the clubhouse, bring some experience, good worker, professional, all the right attributes and characteristics we’re looking for here.”

Sox general manager Rick Hahn mentioned Thompson as someone the Sox “want in here as part of this culture.”

Thompson said he gathered a lot of knowledge from players such as former Sox first baseman José Abreu.

“I try to go about my work and be a good teammate,” Thompson said. “I’ve had a lot of really good influences in my career and been in a lot of different locker rooms. I’ve been privileged to play with some guys of really high character around the game, and one of those guys is (Abreu). I learned a lot from him.

“Rick has always been honest with me. Been upfront with me in all the conversations we’ve had. It means a lot. At the end of the day, it’s about helping these guys win games. There’s a lot that goes into that and being a good teammate is part of it. I feel super blessed and lucky to be back here.”

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