Outman makes OD roster: ‘Felt like a dream’
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – James Outman has grown used to being known as into supervisor Dave Roberts’ workplace throughout Spring Training. Each of the earlier instances, nonetheless, it got here with news that he was being reassigned to Minor League camp.
This time, nonetheless, after a robust spring, Outman bought the news he had been ready for. General supervisor Brandon Gomes, bench coach Danny Lehmann and Roberts notified Outman that he’ll be with the Dodgers when the crew takes the sector on Opening Day in opposition to the D-backs.
“I was expecting to cry or something, but I didn’t,” Outman stated with a smile earlier than the Dodgers’ 11-5 loss to the D-backs. “I was kind of like ‘Whoa.’ It was pretty surreal. Kind of felt like a dream, like did that really just happen?”
It did occur, and it’s all due to what Outman confirmed this spring. Coming into camp, Outman gave the impression to be on the surface trying in. With Jason Heyward, who will even be on the Opening Day roster in keeping with Roberts, the Dodgers had sufficient left-handed bats on the roster.
In order for Outman to make a roster, it needed to make sense when it comes to taking part in time. He wasn’t going to be on the Dodgers’ roster simply to sit down on the bench or play in opposition to the occasional right-hander. Once Gavin Lux went down along with his harm, it opened the door for a left-handed bat to make this 12 months’s membership.
Outman, who went 6-for-13 in his first style of the Majors final season, shortly turned some heads along with his efficiency in Cactus League video games and dwell at-bats all through camp. He routinely displayed his energy in dwell ABs and got here into Friday’s sport with an .866 OPS in 41 at-bats this spring. He in the end pressured the Dodgers’ hand and can now be a part of his first Opening Day roster.
“Two years ago, I saw him in Spring Training, and I just saw the way he moved out in center field,” Roberts stated. “I saw the power. I saw the physicality. And then, getting to know him, love the head, and then he went out and performed.”
The subsequent step for the Dodgers will probably be discovering sufficient at-bats to warrant having Outman on the Opening Day roster and never limiting his growth by holding him on the bench. As of now, the expectation is that Outman will play “a good bit,” in keeping with Roberts. That will doubtless come in opposition to right-handers and in heart subject. Outman and Heyward are anticipated to deal with a lot of the duties in heart with Chris Taylor chipping in in opposition to lefties.
“I just want to be ready whenever my name is called,” Outman stated. “So whatever that may be, if I’m starting, if I’m not starting, I still have to get in the box and I still have to put together a good at-bat. I know coming off the bench is a little more challenging. Just because you’re not necessarily in the flow of the game. I really learned that in like my first couple of Spring Trainings here, where I’d be backing up games, sit on the bench for an hour and now I have to go face 98 [mph]. But, yeah, I’ll be ready.”
With Heyward and Outman being notified that they’ll each be on the Opening Day roster, the Dodgers’ position-player aspect is about, barring harm. It’s a bunch that may depend on its stars in Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith. But it’s additionally a squad that has some unknown behind these three stars and Max Muncy.
The Dodgers, nonetheless, are assured they are going to be trotting out their finest 13 gamers, giving them an opportunity to have one other profitable season.
“I love this group,” Roberts stated. “I think that we’re equipped versus right, versus left. … I love the athletic ability. I love the veterans and the mix of youth. All that put together, I think we nailed it. Now we just have to go out and play.”
