We’ve seen it before, as recently as the Cody Bellinger Dodgers years – A young rookie player makes it to The Show, puts up Rookie-of-the-Year-caliber numbers for several weeks or even months, and then struggles … horribly.

In nearly every case (injuries notwithstanding), it’s not that they just suddenly lose their groove (so to speak), it’s that opposing pitchers, coaches, managers, and even more so front office people who are paid very good money to do so, figure those players out by identifying their weakness(es) and exploit them diligently – to the point where that Rookie-of-the-Year-caliber player is no longer such and sometimes even falls from grace in eyes of fans who they had previously overwhelmed.

Enter 26-year-old Dodgers rookie outfielder James Outman, who, for the first month of the 2023 season, was not only the Dodgers best hitter, but one of MLB’s best hitters, maintaining a .300+ batting average through April 26 that included four doubles, three triples, seven home runs, and 19 RBI.

Among those seven home runs was Outman’s first Major League grand slam – on April 20, 2023 – off of Chicago Cubs right-hander Michael Fulmer at Wrigley Field.

…and then opposing pitchers, coaches, managers, and front office people who are paid very good money to do so, figured him out and made adjustments on how the pitched to him.

“Yeah, definitely,” the extremely popular Redwood City, CA native and Dodgers seventh round draft pick in 2018 out of Cal State Sacramento told ThinkBlueLA when asked if he felt that the league in general had finally figured him out. “At first it was in, and then they started going up. But yeah, definitely felt it. I could feel them staying away from my hot zones.”

“He’s trying to figure it out, trying to learn the league,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, following his team’s exciting come-from-behind 7-3 win over the Minnesota Twins at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. “They’re trying to learn him, they’re making adjustments. It’s not linear. You’ve got to keep making adjustments as the league makes adjustments on you.”

That exciting come-from-behind 7-3 win was the result on Outman’s second grand slam of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning, which made him the first Dodger to hit two go-ahead grand slams in the seventh inning or later in the same season since Nomar Garciaparra did so on September 24, 2006, and the first Dodgers rookie with multiple grand slams in the same season since Frank Howard did so in 1960. Howard went on to become the Rookie of the Year that season.

“I was trying to hit a ground ball to second base,” Outman told reporters postgame with a grin on his face.

As Dodgers fans are very well aware, Outman has struggled – considerably – over the past couple of weeks; a direct result of that ‘finally figured him out’ thing. But During that very difficult time, he received continuous support and encouragement from teammates, which he credits as the reason for the (apparent) end to his struggles and helping him adjust to the adjustments made against him.

“It’s no secret, I was grinding,” Outman acknowledged postgame. “My teammates were, you know, keeping me positive; David (Peralta), JayHey (Jason Heyward), Will (Smith), Freddie (Freeman), to name a few. There’s obviously way more. But, yeah, they were just a… they were keeping me centered, and it felt really good to finally come through in a big spot.”

What also helped Outman keep positive and before his game-winning slam was a seemingly insignificant infield single to third base in the bottom of the fourth inning. You could almost see the built-up tension and pressure leave his body, especially after he stole second base (his fifth of the season) and scored on a Mookie Betts single to center on a close play at the plate.

Adjustment to the adjustments made.

Play Ball!

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