SAN FRANCISCO — It took one at-bat for Dodgers rookie James Outman to get the higher of a hero from his Bay Space childhood.
The Redwood Metropolis native and Serra Excessive alum launched the primary Madison Bumgarner pitch he noticed over Arizona’s right-field wall for a solo dwelling run on Friday.
The violent swing displayed the power that made Outman a multi-sport star at his highschool in San Mateo practically a decade in the past. He was the West Catholic Athletic League’s co-football participant of the 12 months in 2014.
“In soccer, you’re at all times turning it up,” Outman stated Monday, including that baseball requires him to be extra passive generally. “It’s a steadiness, however I’ve been attempting to hone it.”
Outman, tapping into the aggression that was his hallmark as a highschool center linebacker, is making an early bid as baseball’s high rookie. The 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .300 with three dwelling runs and 9 RBIs in 11 video games. His 1.262 OPS ranks third in MLB.
The highlights that proceed to pile up embrace the house run off Bumgarner, the pitcher who was main the Giants to 3 World Collection championships whereas Outman was in highschool.
“It was cool to be on the identical discipline and compete in opposition to him,” Outman stated. “He was one in every of the dudes on the Giants once we have been youngsters, so it was cool to compete in opposition to him.”
Is Outman dissatisfied the Giants didn’t draft him earlier than the Dodgers took him within the seventh spherical in 2018 out of Sacramento State, the place he hit 23 dwelling runs?
“No, in no way,” he stated. “I’m glad being a Dodger.”
Monday, in his first recreation this season at Oracle Park, Outman hit his league-leading third triple within the Dodgers’ 9-1 victory over the Giants.
Amongst these following his progress is his soccer coach at Serra, Patrick Walsh.
“He doesn’t appear to be a few of these guys who're clear-cut skilled athletes,” Walsh stated. “However the uniqueness of his spirit and his aggressive fireplace makes me not stunned that he persevered and made it full-time for the Dodgers.”
Outman’s path to the large leagues has been something however simple. After a 12 months and a half within the decrease ranges of the minor leagues, he misplaced a 12 months of improvement in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He made a four-game huge league cameo final summer season, homering in his first at-bat, however was despatched again to Triple-A after the transient call-up.
As a substitute of ruing the demotion as a setback, Outman seen it as a possibility.
“It was a wild week for me, so I didn’t really feel like I had time to have any feelings in any respect,” he stated. “I used to be grateful for the chance and I used to be excited to get again to Triple-A and work on what I discovered.”
Outman earned a spot on the Opening Day roster this season, hitting .283 with three dwelling runs in spring coaching.
“Final 12 months, I used to be simply attempting to maintain my head afloat,” he stated. “Now, I really feel like we’re simply attempting to win a recreation and it’s enterprise as regular.”
Enterprise is booming for Outman, who entered Monday’s sequence opener in opposition to the Giants as the primary Dodger to hit 4 dwelling runs and two triples by means of his first 14 video games with the membership since Dick Grey in 1958.
Jason Heyward, in his 14th huge league season and first with the Dodgers, stated he's impressed by his younger teammate, noting Outman’s preparation and belief in his skills.
“It’s one other good instance to see,” Heyward stated.
Outman couldn't have requested for higher mentors. Heyward and Mookie Betts have mixed for 11 profession Gold Glove awards within the outfield.
Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated Outman’s skill to grasp the psychological facet of the large leagues would decide whether or not he stays a fixture within the lineup.
“There’s expertise there, however it's important to proceed to get expertise to study and modify and reply to adversities,” Roberts stated. “Our job is to provide these alternatives.”
Outman’s presence with the Dodgers has prompted Walsh to vary his rooting curiosity.
“You recognize, regardless that I’ve at all times been an Oakland A’s fan, I’m now one hundred pc formally a Dodger fan,” the coach stated, including, sarcastically, that “will make all of my Giants fan associates glad.”
