Dodgers Prospects: James Outman’s Hot Streak Continues in Historic Fashion
James Outman’s first stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers was short but very sweet, batting .462 with a 1.409 OPS in four games in late July and early August.
Outman was sent back to Triple-A when Los Angeles traded for Joey Gallo at the trade deadline, and a couple days later he missed about two weeks with injury. In the eight games since returning to the Oklahoma City lineup, he has continued to hit the cover off the ball, batting .571 with a 1.999 OPS.
Included in those eight games are two six-RBI games and a five-RBI game. The five-RBI game came last night, when he also did something even more remarkable: He hit for the cycle for the second time in four games.
? CYCLE ALERT ?
This is not a rerun!
No. 13 @Dodgers prospect James Outman completes the feat for the second time in four games for the @okc_dodgers: pic.twitter.com/t4dN1iKiL9
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 31, 2022
Outman hit for the cycle on Friday in OKC against the El Paso Chihuahuas, going 5-for-5 with a single, a double, two triples, and a homer. Last night, facing the Round Rock Express in Texas, the slugging outfielder went 4-for-4 with a cycle and two walks.
In the last eight games, Outman has 16 hits, including 13 for extra bases, and 19 RBIs. Overall in the minors this year, he’s batting .298 with a .997 OPS between Double-A Tulsa and OKC.
No OKC player had hit for the cycle in 11 years until James Outman did it Friday.
Well, guess what?
He just did it again for the second time in four games!!! pic.twitter.com/oXUMdtqf4p
— Oklahoma City Dodgers (@okc_dodgers) August 31, 2022
We got word last night that Miguel Vargas will be called up when rosters expand on Thursday, which means that, for the time being, Outman will stick around in Triple-A for a while. But with question marks around the performance of Chris Taylor, Cody Bellinger, and Joey Gallo, it’s not crazy to think a spot might open up for Outman on the big-league club this season. We might even see his face in October.
Outman has done all he can do. Now, we wait.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
play Outman instead of Taylor/Gallo
Time to let Bellinger go now while he still has some value. Bring Outman up again. He can’t do worse then Bellinger has done the past 3 years. Dont wiat till its too late. Bellinger has cost the dodgers many chances to score runs to only strike out or send a weak fly to short out field.
Fly in the ointment re: Belli: He may be the best CF in the NL and when he DOES make contact, it’s often hard (still agreeing he doesn’t do it often enuff). An easier call is Outman instead of Gallo. Then there’s Flailin’ Taylor….just a mess (mechanical/mental) but so so excellent and versatile defensively…Conundrum…the challenges of the the best team in baseball…YIKES.
Damn, the kid can hit. Bye bye Cody. Undoubtedly your agent, Boras, will be asking MVP wages for you.