James Outman’s path has taken another sharp turn.
The former Dodgers outfielder, who once looked like a real breakout piece after finishing third in 2023 NL Rookie of the Year voting, has now been designated for assignment by the Tigers after a brief stop in Detroit. It’s the latest setback in a slide that began after the Twins acquired him from Los Angeles at last year’s trade deadline for right-handed reliever Brock Stewart.
Minnesota took the swing on Outman hoping a change of scenery could bring back the version of him that put up 3.4 bWAR, a .790 OPS, 23 home runs and 70 RBI in 2023. Instead, the production kept falling. Outman posted -0.5 bWAR over 53 games in 2024 and -0.2 bWAR in 22 games in 2025 before the Dodgers moved on from him.
The Twins gave him a longer look, but the results never came. Outman, 29, finished with -1.0 bWAR and a .526 OPS in 86 games with Minnesota before being designated for assignment in early June.
Detroit scooped him up off waivers on June 11, and the fit made sense at the time. The Tigers were banged up in center field with Parker Meadows hurt, and Javier Báez was also out, so a player who could handle center field had real value.
But that need faded quickly. Báez is back, Max Clark is now in the majors, and Outman no longer had a clear role.
His numbers in Detroit reflected the same struggles. In 45 games with the Tigers, he hit .183/.240/.366 with five home runs and 14 RBI. The team placed him on the seven-day concussion injured list on Aug. 13, then designated him for assignment once he returned.
There is still a chance another club takes a look. Outman remains a strong defender, with +2 Defensive Runs Saved and +2 Outs Above Average across 448 1/3 innings this season, even if the bat has been well below average. A team searching for outfield help could still claim him and bet on a bounce back, however unlikely that may be.
If he clears waivers, Outman would have to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Toledo, since he has no prior outrights and less than three years of service time.
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