Division Rival Claims James Outman Off Waivers From Minnesota Twins

The Detroit Tigers announced Thursday they have claimed outfielder James Outman off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. Outman had been designated for assignment to clear a spot on the active roster for Royce Lewis’ return to the Twins.

Outman was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for reliever Brock Stewart at last season’s trade deadline. His defensive versatility has stood out as a key facet of his game, but his poor offensive production ultimately outweighed his value defensively.

Appearing in 49 games this season, Outman’s plus defense had him primarily used as a defensive replacement in Minnesota. In 64 at-bats, he has struggled with his bat in hitting just .156 with an on-base percentage of .229. 

In his rookie season with the Dodgers in 2023, Outman had a very impressive year as he placed third in National League Rookie of the Year voting and became the team’s starting center fielder. He hit for a .248 average, swatted 23 homers and drove in 70 RBI — all of which were career-highs by a wide margin. 

Since that season, Outman has yet to come close to replicating those numbers. Outman has seen 374 plate appearances since 2024, but has recorded a .144/.235/.284 slashline. In that span, he has struck out 39.3% of the time, which is by far the worst tally among players with at least 300 plate appearances in that span.

When the Twins dealt Stewart to the Dodgers last season, they were banking on some form of rejuvenation for Outman and his offensive abilities. Instead, his struggles continued. The move could even be questioned in the fact that the Twins already own a surplus of left-handed outfield bats.

In total, Outman combined to bat .151 in the 86 games he played with the Twins. This season, his 41.4% strikeout rate was the highest tally of players who had seen at least 48 plate appearances. Despite being a solid defensive outfielder, his offensive limitations restrict his opportunities for regular playing time over the past couple of seasons. 

Outman has run out of minor league options and will report to the Tigers’ big league team. His skillset fits the bill of a late-game defensive and baserunning upgrade, and Detroit will hope to unlock more from Outman on the offensive end. 

With an outfield of Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach and an emerging Austin Martin, Outman and his woeful offense made him an easy odd man out.