As the Los Angeles Dodgers move closer to Opening Day in just over one week, their roster is also taking shape.
The Dodgers will be permitted to carry 31 players on their roster to Japan, but that number will need to be cut to 26 players when the Tokyo Series begins against the Chicago Cubs.
While the majority of those roster spaces are accounted for, there are still a few up in the air, namely in the bullpen and on their bench, which will be affected by who earns the starting job at second base or center field.
One of the players competing for a roster spot is James Outman. While it’s unclear if he will be on the 26-man roster, he will be traveling to Japan with the Dodgers, via Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic:
@FabianArdaya: James Outman said he’s been told he’s going to be part of the Dodgers’ travel roster in Japan. His status for the active roster is still TBD.
Outman had a rough 2024 season which saw him hit .147/.256/.265 with a 54 wRC+. However, in 2023, Outman was among the best rookies in baseball, slashing .248/.353/.437 with a 118 wRC+ and quality defense that helped him produce 4.0 WAR.
During this past offseason, Outman made some swing adjustments and focused on adding muscle.
The results in spring have not been eye-popping as he’s hitting .192 with a .713 OPS in 26 at-bats while striking out 14 times, but no one else has run away with a roster spot, either.
Outman could open the season as the Dodgers’ starting center fielder or work in a platoon, with a player such as Kiké Hernández, Andy Pages, Chris Taylor or Miguel Rojas. He could also find himself back in Triple-A if the Dodgers decide to go with another option.
James Outman still working on swing
After the offseason changes, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts liked what he saw from Outman earlier in camp, but he has seen things regress back recently.
Outman needs to show a better ability to put the ball in play and make quality contact if he wants to be a regular contributor for the club.
It may take some time for things to click for Outman, if they do.
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