Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gestures in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (5) is safe at first base after Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez came off the base to catch a wide throw during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws to a Colorado Rockies batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws to a Colorado Rockies batter during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws to a Colorado Rockies batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger drives in a run with a sacrifice fly ball during the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies’ Ryan McMahon watches his RBI-double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts smiles in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies center fielder Yonathan Daza leaps at the wall to catch a fly ball by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. Bellinger drove in a run with a sacrifice on the play. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies’ Brendan Rodgers, left, celebrates his solo home run with Ryan McMahon (24) during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies’ Brendan Rodgers, left, celebrates with third base coach Stu Cole after his solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson, front right, steals second base past Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Andre Jackson throws to a Colorado Rockies batter during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner throws out Colorado Rockies’ Sean Bouchard at first base during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Andre Jackson throws to a Colorado Rockies batter during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar fields a low grounder from Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. Thompson was safe at first base for an infield single. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Daniel Bard throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Daniel Bard, left, and catcher Brian Serven shake hands after a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers during a baseball game, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon (24) and first baseman Michael Toglia (29) celebrate after a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers during a baseball game, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
LOS ANGELES ― Neither of Trayce Thompson’s hits against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday were things of beauty.
One, a soft flare to shallow right field in the third inning, broke up German Marquez’s no-hit bid and led to the Dodgers’ only run of the game. The other, an infield single in the eighth inning, was the Dodgers’ second hit in an eventual 4-1 loss.
The box score has been kind to Thompson lately. Starting in place of Chris Taylor in a pair of weekend games against the Rockies, Thompson went 3 for 4 with four walks and a double.
“He’s obviously since he came up he’s had some big hits for us and played great defense and performed very consistently,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The last couple weeks I think it’s been a little grind for him, but he’s still taking walks when he needs to. For him to get a couple hits I thought was really good. He’s hitting good pitching. His quality of at-bat isn’t going unnoticed.”
Even before Taylor reported a neck injury after batting practice Saturday, it looked safe to pencil Thompson into the Dodgers’ outfield rotation for the National League Division Series.
In 200 at-bats since joining the Dodgers in June, Thompson has 12 home runs and 38 RBIs to go with a .265 average and .888 on-base plus slugging percentage. Even in a deep lineup, Thompson’s numbers compare favorably to his talented peers.
If Thompson makes the NLDS roster, he’ll be poised to make his first appearance in a playoff game at age 31.
“I don’t think about it,” he said. “I just try to go out there and play baseball. I know if I prepare and I believe in myself, I go out there with conviction, I know I can play. … I’m on the team right now, so I’m going to prepare to help the team win tomorrow.”
Thompson’s one-day-at-a-time approach is born of experience. His journey back to the Dodgers since he was placed on waivers in 2018 has been well-documented, with stops in eight different organizations in the last four-plus years. Thompson has a good reason not to look too far ahead: his career to this point hasn’t allowed it.
Now that Thompson’s numbers suggest a playoff roster spot is a sure thing, he insists he is still focused on the process.
“I feel it gets easier as you get older,” he said. “When I first got to the big leagues it was relatively easy for me. Dealing with adversity, getting sent down, coming back, trying to do so much ― you just learn there’s a lot of noise in this game. A lot of noise put on by yourself, really. If you can just quiet that down and unpack it for what it is, it’s baseball.
“The guys who have the most success don’t give any moments away. I try to implement that to my game. I have some really good guys to look up to, some guys to lean on.”
INJURY UPDATES
Utility player Chris Taylor remains day-to-day with a neck injury that he reported after batting practice Saturday. He was held out of the lineup for a second consecutive day Sunday.
Blake Treinen (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a full bullpen Monday, Roberts said, as the right-hander attempts to claim a spot in the Dodgers’ bullpen for the NLDS.
Dustin May (back) threw a bullpen of approximately 35 pitches, after which Roberts praised May’s intensity and execution. The right-hander is also vying for a spot on the NLDS roster, although his workload will be limited if he is able to return.
The uncertainty around what role each pitcher will play this October is unparalleled among the Dodgers’ 10 playoff teams the last 10 seasons.
In September, Craig Kimbrel was demoted from the closer’s job. Left-handed starter Andrew Heaney was paired with an opener in his last appearance in preparation for the postseason. Treinen, May and Tony Gonsolin all spent September battling injuries.
Gonsolin is expected to return to the rotation Monday.
“There are no roles,” Roberts said. “Your role is to pitch when the phone rings and go as long as you can. With that (comes) absolute clarity. We’re right where we need to be right now.”
UP NEXT
Colorado (RHP José Ureña, 3-8, 5.24 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Tony Gonsolin, 16-1, 2.10 ERA), Monday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network, 830-AM
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