Quite the opposite, I would think dodge is a skill you gain by fighting a lot. The more often you engage in brawls the better you get at dodging blows. Therefore the melee classes start with it. Thieves are however the opposite of a fighting class. They try to evade fights completely and their skillset reflects that they find ways to achieve their goals without having to fight - or even being seen at all.

I'd rather give them ventriloquism and with good dice too. Makes sense for them to be able to distract other beings so they can pilfer their stuff.