Los Angeles Dodgers: James Outman makes history in MLB debut
As a franchise, the Los Angeles Dodgers have roots that go back to 1884. Before Sunday’s game against the Colorado Rockies in Denver, no Dodgers player had ever started his career in the way that James Outman did.
With an incredible offensive performance on Sunday, rookie James Outman wrote his name in the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB record books
Called up by the Los Angeles Dodgers from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday and batting ninth in the lineup in his first MLB action on Sunday, Outman went 3-for-4 with three RBI to help the Dodgers record a 7-3 win over the Rockies, taking three of four from Colorado in the series.
But it wasn’t just that Outman had a great day at the plate in his debut. It’s the fact that what Outman did was truly historic, both for the Dodgers and all MLB players.
Outman connected on a two-run home run in the third inning, a single in the seventh, and an RBI double in the eighth. Put that all together and the 25-year-old outfielder became the first player in Dodgers history to log three hits (including a home run), total three RBI, and score two runs in his MLB debut. He’s also just the second player in Dodgers history (joining Brooklyn’s Packy Rogers in 1938) to have three hits and three RBI in his debut.
Rogers played just 23 games with the Dodgers. Outman plans to be around much longer than that and, with Sunday’s showcase, it’s very likely that’s just what will happen.
Ready for some more interesting names with Dodgers history and a new connection to Outman? How about Ernie Koy in 1938 and Jose Offerman in 1990, the two players Outman matched on Sunday with a homer included in his three hits in his MLB debut?
How about a Hall of Fame tie-in? Outman’s Sunday performance made him the first Dodger in three decades to have three hits or more in his MLB debut, matching Mike Piazza back in 1992.
Outman also became the first MLB player with three hits, a home run, and three RBI in his debut since Joey Gallo did with the Texas Rangers on June 2, 2015.
Next. Storm clouds gathering around Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel. dark
Whatever comes next for James Outman with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he will always have a place in the franchise and MLB record books thanks to his historic debut on Sunday.