James Outman played 151 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023. But the center fielder only played in 53 games in 2024 and started this season in the minor leagues.
Even with Andy Pages struggling as the everyday center fielder, the Dodgers have not called up Outman. MLB insider Bob Nightengale said a change of scenery could be beneficial for Outman, and the Chicago White Sox are interested in the 27-year-old.
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“I think that’s why they’re so intrigued by James Outman,” Nightengale said to Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain. “Outman probably needs a change of scenery. He just needs to play everyday so who knows? Maybe he could be that type of player in Chicago or somewhere else.”
The White Sox have All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. as a trade offer for the Dodgers. But Nightengale said Chicago will want more from the Dodgers than just Outman in exchange for Robert Jr.
Robert Jr.’s offensive performance has progressively declined over the last four seasons. However, if he can stay healthy and start performing well, Chicago could get a lot from a trade involving him.
“I’m sure they want something more from the [Dodgers], and they’re going to ask for that from all 30 teams until they get what they want,” Nightengale said. “So they just need [Robert] stay healthy and start performing. They know if he performs well over say a month period, then it’ll be a lot easier to trade him.”
Although Robert Jr. has not performed as well as he has in the earlier seasons of his career, his experience could be valuable for the Dodgers as they look for an upgrade from Pages.
Outman slashed a career-low .147/.256/.265 across 53 games last season. And he was not included on any of the Dodgers’ postseason rosters. He is still off to a slow start in Triple-A this season, slashing .179/.266/.393 while hitting four home runs and 14 RBIs through 20 games.
However, Outman has shown promise in the past. Therefore, getting a chance to play every day in MLB with a team like the White Sox could help the Redwood City, California native get back to his strong offensive performances.
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