The Los Angeles Dodgers are positioned to be buyers at the trade deadline. James Outman could be a player they include in a trade to upgrade their roster.
Outman has not lived up to the hype he carried as a prospect. He is currently on the Dodgers’ big league roster, but when the team is healthy, he does not have a real role. The Dodgers outfield has featured Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages and Michael Conforto. The Dodgers could use an upgrade for Conforto, but Outman is not really a better option.
Outman still has some potential. His first full year in the big leagues was great, as he finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. FanSided’s Henry Palattella suggested Outman is entering his final few weeks on the team as the Dodgers could use him in a trade, hoping a team will bank 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,” wrote Palattella. “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.”
Outman currently has a .561 OPS in 11 games with the Dodgers this year. If he were genuinely better than Conforto, the Dodgers could save themselves from making any sort of deal for an outfielder. However, Outman could be a big league replacement for any outfielder the Dodgers may acquire.
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The Dodgers do have internal options in the outfield in Hyeseong Kim and Tommy Edman. However, the injury to Max Muncy makes both of them more valuable in the infield on a daily basis.
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