Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Believes It'll Be a Season of Highs and Lows For James Outman
The kid will finally get his shot in the big leagues, and it seems like for good now. It was announced earlier this week that Dodgers outfielder and prospect James Outman would make the Opening Day roster.
Dodger fans know this is well deserved, and fans have been clamoring for Outman's opportunity. Outman exploded onto the scene in late July 2022 as he homered in his first plate appearance and immediately became a favorite among Dodger fans.
Fans were hoping that James would be on the roster for the rest of the 2022 season, but now their wish has come true, and a lot will be expected of Outman in 2023.
The 25-year-old will be one of six other outfielders on the roster and fight for a spot in the lineup. Although James has proven he can hit at the big league level, Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts believes it will still be an adjustment period for the lefty hitter.
“I think that we’re very mindful of not trying to over-evaluate spring training and it’s not just about performance, it’s about process and the head, all the stuff that we believe is going to help us this year and beyond,” Roberts said.“I think we just feel that he’s [Outman] going to be able to handle this runway. But it’s an adjustment. It’s a game of adjustments and so there are some things he does really well and there are some things he can get better at. That’s not just a young player, but that’s anyone.”
At some point or another, you have to find out if James has it or not, and this season is the best time to find out. The Dodgers lost some key players, including outfielder Cody Bellinger who covered center field and beyond. If James can take over that role, I know Dodger fans and Dave will have the utmost confidence in him.
The Dodger superstars will do their job in keeping the ship afloat; however, it will be up to the other guys like Outman in how far they can indeed go with this new core of players.
