It wasn’t all that long ago that popular Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis coined the phrase “Cody Bellinger, you are ridiculous!” which, of course, quickly became the buzz phrase among Dodgers fans for the former Dodger, former National League Rookie of the Year, former National League MVP, and current Chicago Cub.

Move over, Cody, there’s a new “You are ridiculous” in the City of Angels.

His name is James Outman, the soon-to-be (on May 14) 27-year-old Redwood City, CA native and Dodgers seventh-round draft pick in 2018 out of Cal State Sacramento.

Through the 19 games in which he has appeared thus far this season, Outman is slashing a ‘ridiculous’ .281 / .397 / .561 / .958, with (now) five home runs and 15 RBI.

Don’t get me wrong, Bellinger is still ‘ridiculous’ with his new team. In fact, the (now) 27-year-old Scottsdale, AZ native and Dodgers fourth round draft pick in 2013 out of Hamilton High School in Chandler, AZ clubbed a solo home run – his fourth of the season – against the Dodgers at Wrigley Field on Thursday night and is sporting an impressive .290 batting average through his first 18 games with the North Siders.

But ‘ridiculous’ James Outman slugged two home runs on Thursday night – the first a solo shot in the top of the second inning to give the Dodgers and early (and short-lived) 1-0 lead, with that ‘ridiculous’ Bellinger guy tying it up in the bottom of the inning with that aforementioned solo shot. Outman’s second home run of the night was a game-winning grand slam in the top of the ninth inning off of Cubs star right-hander Michael Fulmer.

As he so often does and despite being a rookie, Outman immediately passed the credit to the guys who got on base ahead of him in that epic ninth inning.

“To be honest, I think it was the at-bats from the guys before me. David (Peralta) got it started, then Vargie (Miguel Vargas) got on, then J. Hey (Jason Heyward) had an unbelievable at-bat to load the bases,” Outman told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson immediately after the game. “I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and I got one.”

What made Outman’s game-winning slam all the more incredible is that it came on the sixth pitch of the at-bat on a 3-2 count. The increasingly popular (and increasingly ‘ridiculous’) Dodgers outfielder also showed some well-deserved emotion as he ran past the Dodgers first base side dugout on his home run trot with a fist pump and a jump for his cheering teammates.

“My emotions took over and I was excited,” Outman told Watson. “We were hurting for a run the whole game it seemed like, so the fact that we got it, it was huge.”

“I can’t say enough about him. Just to get his feet wet last year and he just keeps getting better, which is scary,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Outman postgame. “I think that the at-bat quality, the moment never gets too big for him. And for a young player wanting to be in that spot, that says a lot about him. This (Wrigley Field) is a pretty fun, crazy environment, but to handle himself like he did and to have that big hit, homer earlier, it’s going to be fun to watch his growth.”

Yes it will.

Ridiculously fun.

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As an interesting side note, Outman’s granny put him in the company of another popular former Dodgers rookie. This from the Dodgers:

 “James Outman is the first Dodger rookie to hit a go-ahead grand slam in the ninth inning or later since Andrew Toles (Aug. 31, 2016 at Colorado).”

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Oh… and then there’s this:

Play Ball!

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