Dodgers News: James Outman Finishes Third in NL Rookie of the Year Voting

One of the more productive members from the 2023 season for the Dodgers was rookie outfielder James Outman. Outman jumped onto the scene for the team after earning a spot on the Opening Day roster with his impressive Spring Training performance. 

His season got him named as a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year honors, but Outman fell short of the award, losing to Corbin Caroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He came in third in the voting, behind pitcher Kodai Senga of the New York Mets as well. The LA rookie hit .248 with 23 home runs and 70 runs batted in over 151 games played. 

Despite not winning the award, Outman still had a great rookie season for the Dodgers. Just being a finalist for the honor shows how special of a season he had, and that it deserved to be appreciated.

Outman was one of the more relied-upon members of the roster all year long, and he continued to impress as the season went on. Not only did he get better with the bat, but he improved his defense as well.

Manager Dave Roberts praised him for his improvement during the season, and he became a steady presence in the outfield for LA. The rookie learned under the wings of the LA veterans, namely Jason Heyward, who showed him how to be a professional through the long season. 

The hope is that Outman can continue to build on this successful first season, and grow into a more well-rounded player. He gives LA a solid left-handed bat in their lineup, and should only improve as time goes on.

The team remains very high on him going forward, and he will likely be their starting center fielder on Opening Day next year. He gained some valuable experience this season as a full-time player, and he can take that with him into the offseason while continuing to get better.

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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