Of the 10 young players the Twins acquired before the July 31 trade deadline, none is more intriguing — or at least might be closest to playing regular innings for the big league team — than James Outman.
Outman is an outfielder who, in 2023, played in 151 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. He hit .248 with 23 home runs, 86 runs scored and 70 RBIs that season.
Since then, that offensive production has all but disappeared. Over the past two seasons, Outman has worked to come out of a hitting slump that, before Saturday’s game against Detroit, read .137 with 20 runs and 15 RBIs in a combined 75 major league games.
It’s a common story in baseball, and most often difficult to bounce back from.
“I think a big part of it is just knowing that you’re a good player, and there’s multiple ways to affect the game and help your team win,” Outman said Saturday after being recalled from Class AAA St. Paul to take the active roster spot of Alan Roden.
“You know, everybody wants to hit, and it’s frustrating when you don’t,” Outman said before starting in left field for his new team. “But it was just learning more about myself and learning that opportunities come and they go, and the important thing is to be ready to play every day.”
Outman, 28, is one of three outfielders acquired at the deadline, and now one of several players looking for enough good innings to show the Twins they can be part of a bright future.
Roden was getting that opportunity before he sprained his left thumb while sliding headfirst into home plate on Thursday. He was placed on the injured list Saturday and is scheduled to see a hand specialist.
Before he was hurt, Roden had been in the lineup every day since being acquired from Toronto. In 12 games primarily as the left fielder, he hit .158 with a double, a home run, 13 strikeouts and no walks.
Asked if Outman might get a similar chance to peddle his wares, manager Rocco Baldelli said, “I don’t make promises as far as at-bats and how much guys are going to play.”
But, the manager added, “He’s going to get opportunities to play, and to hopefully get into a good rhythm and show us some things he can do. I’d like to get to know the player a little bit, so that will be part of it, but whether it’s James or Austin or Trevor (Larnach), I’m not going to define just how much time these guys are each going to get, because there’s really no way to know the answer of that.”
In May 2023, Outman hit a grand slam in a 7-3 victory over Minnesota in Los Angeles. In his only previous series at Target Field, he went 4 for 11 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs as the Dodgers took 2 of 3 in April 2024.
“It was a good series,” he said. “I was happy about that one.”
Outman said the organization had him working on some things upon arrival with the Saints — they’re in Omaha this week — but added, “Nothing too crazy.”
Outman said the organization had him working on some things upon his arrival to the Saints — they’re in Omaha this week — but added, “Nothing too crazy.”
“Just kind of getting some more at-bats underneath my belt, I would say, and getting back into the swing of things, no pun intended,” he said. “I didn’t really have too many at-bats throughout July, so I think that was a big part of it, and just kind of, like, shaking off some of some of the rust.”
Baldelli said the Twins have some ideas about the outfielder’s swing, but added that it’s much more difficult to assess a position player from afar than a pitcher.
“It’s much easier to look at what a pitcher is doing, has been doing, and have a good idea of putting together a couple of bullet points for that guy to focus on, and then they can get down to the details,” Baldelli said. “For position players, it’s a reactionary thing. You’re always going to have (ideas), but the way it works is completely different.”
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