Dodgers Temporarily Bench Outfielder to 'Get The Head Clear'

Maren Angus-Coombs | Apr 8, 2024

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been adamant that James Outman is not a platoon outfielder. However, he hasn't played the last three games against a left-handed pitcher.

Kiké Hernandez has started in centerfield against Kyle Harrison of the Giants on Wednesday and Jordan Wicks and Shota Imanaga of the Cubs on Saturday and Sunday. But, it's still not a platoon according to Roberts.

“No, it’s not,” Roberts said when asked if it was a platoon. “I just think James has to get untracked offensively. So for me, talking to the hitting guys, allowing him to have a couple days’ work and then he’ll be in there all three days against Minnesota. But my plan is definitely not to platoon him. Right now, I do want him to get that swing kind of a little more dialed in.”

Outman is off to an extremely slow start. He's batting .129 with 12 strikeouts in 31 at-bats and his current slump is reminiscent of the deep slumps he fell into last season.

“I think he’s just in between,” Roberts said. “When you’re chasing in, away, up, down, hard, soft, I think that you’re in between. I think getting the mechanics, getting the head clear and just attacking his strengths, he’ll be back where we expect him to be. Right now, it’s kind of where he was at in the middle of last season. Hopefully we can get him back to squaring the baseball up and swinging at balls in the strike zone.”

Roberts understands that sophomore campaigns sometimes don't reflect the success of the rookie season but there is a way to make sure the lows aren't so low.

"Some players tend to be streaky at the plate," Roberts said. “But I just don’t want to concede the valleys (with Outman), if we can get the valleys to be not as deep.”

Outman is back in the lineup on Monday against a right-handed pitcher.