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Dodgers give James Outman the Jordan Walker treatment with latest roster move

James Outman, like Jordan Walker, has a lot to prove before he can be trusted at the MLB level again.

By Zachary Rotman

Apr 13, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder James Outman (33)
Apr 13, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder James Outman (33) / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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When talking about the Los Angeles Dodgers, the focus is always on their star power, and for good reason. Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman are all absurd talents and deserve to be praised whenever they can be. As good as those guys are, the Dodgers wouldn't be the Dodgers without a strong supporting cast. That's where a guy like James Outman fills in.

Outman burst onto the scene in 2023 and looked like a future star. Not only was he an elite defender, but Outman was productive at the plate as well, slashing .248/.353/.437 with 23 home runs and 70 RBI. He stole 16 bases in 19 tries and wound up finishing third in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting.

Outman looked like he'd be a fixture in center field for a long time playing for the Dodgers, but this season has been a different story. It's been eerily similar to what's transpired with Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals. Now, like Walker was not too long ago, Outman was just sent down to Triple-A.

Dodgers send stern message to struggling James Outman in latest roster move

While his defense remained stout, Outman's bat completely disappeared this season. The 27-year-old slashed .147/.250/.266 with three home runs and ten RBI in 36 games played before being sent down. The Dodgers have been winning anyway, but that's in spite of Outman.

Outman wasn't as highly touted as Walker, but they both had strong rookie years. They both looked like future stars at certain points. This year though, has been a completely different story. Walker had just a .497 OPS before being sent down.

With Outman down, the Dodgers will rely on Jason Heyward to play often against right-handed pitching. Heyward was just activated off the IL. Andy Pages will presumably take over centerfield duties.

There's reason to believe both Outman and Walker will be fine. They're too talented not to be. But they'll both have to prove that they're capable of coming back and producing at the MLB level. Fans of those teams can only hope that happens sooner rather than later.

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