James Outman was named National League Rookie of the Month for April of the 2023 season, becoming the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to receive the honor since Cody Bellinger in June 2017.
Bellinger also was named NL Rookie of the Month for May of that season, and of course he went on to be the unanimous selection for 2017 NL Rookie of the Year.
Outman opened the season by hitting .292/.376/.615 with four doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 20 RBI, four stolen bases and 11 walks while appearing in each of the Dodgers’ 29 games (26 starts). He reached base safely in all but four starts during that span.
Among his highlights in April was a multi-home run game at Wrigley Field that included hitting a go-ahead grand slam in the ninth inning. The multi-homer game and grand slam both were career-firsts.
Outman set a Dodgers rookie record for most home runs to begin a season, surpassing the five hit by Alex Guerrero (2015) and Joe Ferguson (1973) in March/April. Bellinger holds the Dodgers rookie record for most homers in any month, when he slugged 13 in June 2017.
Outman enters play on Monday leading all qualified rookies in triples, home runs, extra-base hits (14), total bases (59), slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging (.991).
He additionally ranks second in total hits (28), RBI and on-base percentage; is tied for third in runs scored (17); and fifth in walks and stolen bases.
Will James Outman win NL Rookie of the Year?
The strong start to the season has Outman in the thick of an early race for 2023 NL Rookie of the Year. The 25-year-old would give the Dodgers 19 Rookie of the Year winners if he’s able to take home the hardware.
The Dodgers had five consecutive NL Rookie of the Year winners from 1992-1996 with Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo and Todd Hollandsworth, but then went into a drought until Corey Seager won the award in 2016.
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