The Los Angeles Dodgers are gearing up to be buyers at the trade deadline, and James Outman looks like he could be heading out the door as part of a package deal.
Outman hasn’t quite lived up to the prospect hype that followed him through the minors. He’s on the big league roster right now, but when everyone’s healthy, there’s just not a clear role for him. The Dodgers’ outfield rotation of Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, and Michael Conforto has pretty much locked him out.
Sure, the Dodgers could use an upgrade over Conforto, but Outman isn’t really that upgrade.
That said, there’s still some upside here. Outman’s first full season was legitimately good – he finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023. That’s the kind of track record that gets other teams interested, even when things aren’t going great right now.
FanSided’s Henry Palattella suggested that Outman’s entering his final weeks with the team, and it makes sense. The Dodgers are hoping some team will take a flyer on his potential.
“The Dodgers have already shown that they don’t view him as a piece of their future, so any team looking to trade with the Dodgers won’t need to twist Los Angeles’ arm to get Outman as a part of their deal. Outman would be the perfect piece to use in a trade with a team that’s straddling the line between buyer and seller, since he has MLB experience, but isn’t eligible for free agency until 2030.”
The numbers this year aren’t pretty. Outman’s posting a .561 OPS in 11 games with the Dodgers, which pretty much tells you everything about why he’s expendable. If he was genuinely better than Conforto, the Dodgers wouldn’t need to go shopping for outfield help in the first place.
But here’s the thing – even if they acquire someone, Outman could still be valuable as a replacement-level option for whatever outfielder they’re giving up.
The Dodgers do have internal options like Hyeseong Kim and Tommy Edman who can play outfield. But with Max Muncy’s injury situation, both guys are more valuable covering infield spots on a daily basis right now.
From where I’m sitting, this feels like a pretty straightforward situation. The Dodgers need to upgrade, they’ve got a former top prospect who still has six years of control left, and there are always teams willing to bet on talent bouncing back. It’s the kind of move that makes sense for everyone involved.
