James Outman Has Struggled Mightily. How Long Can He Hold Onto a Job?

[stringer bell]

20 minutes ago, KirbyDome89 said:

He also hasn't been good at the MLB level in years and he has no options. The Twins need to find out whether Roden is a AAAA guy or someone worth rostering. That question has been answered with Outman. 

I don't disagree. Triple A numbers don't always predict success. Just ask Mickey Gasper.

IMHO, Outman has one thing that Keirsey doesn't. He has big time power, but just doesn't make contact nearly enough.

Outman's speed has surprised me. I googled his sprint speed and the reply was that it was elite (28.9 fps). His sprint speed was recorded as 28.5 in 2025. That is equal to Keirsey and faster than Austin Martin. 

[Mike Sixel]

18 hours ago, KirbyDome89 said:

Roden is 26 and he posted a nearly 900 OPS in AAA last year. I don't really  care what 2 weeks in AAA looks like when Outman is literally forcing his way off the Major League roster.  

This. Roden is a backup, who is already 26. He should be in Minnesota. 

[Heiny]

It has been often stated that the Twins have too many left handed batters in the outfield, which Outman is one of.  If you have to replace Outman with another LH bat to platoon against RH pitchers, give Jenkins, Roden, or Rodriquez a shot.  If you don't care which side of the plate he bats at, you can add Gonzalez and Fedko as options.  Whoever is most deserving of a chance. 

[JADBP]

The Twins just CAN NOT afford to waste a precious roster spot on a guy batting 0.000!  It’s insane.  Everyone else is playing with a 26-man team and we have a 25-man team!  Really????  There is no scenario where this makes sense.  
 

i’d like the Twins to bring up Emma but just about anyone else would do just fine.  With a Rookie, you know they are going to immediately slump against MLB pitching but you might as well get that started.  It’s an adjustment (that Outman has not made). 

[JADBP]

On 4/10/2026 at 8:58 AM, HeresWaldo said:

I'm generally opposed to letting players go this early because the samples are so small. If we always cut players who looked bad through this point in the season we would've cut Carlos Santana from the 2024 team, and it's always important to remember the value of patience. That said, I think Outman might be different. He didn't make sense as an acquisition in the first place, looked absolutely terrible in a meaningful role last year, and doesn't really fit the current roster. Austin Martin probably isn't a good center fielder but he's at least Willi Castro level out there, so he can be the occasional backup which is Outman's only real role. If Buxton got hurt you wouldn't want Martin out there every day, but they'd also be able to call up someone from the Saints and both Rodriguez and Jenkins can supposedly play center, so it still wouldn't be Outman's job. Outman doesn't hit, runs fine but not well enough to be a pure pinch runner, and can play center but not well enough to make up for the bat. He's probably not the worst outfielder in baseball and maybe someone would pick him up off waivers, but he just doesn't fit this roster and probably shouldn't have made the team on opening day. 

If the Pirates can fire Shelton on May 8th last year, then we can surely let go of the 26th man who provides very little value to the team.  We have other players who can run fast.  

Bring up Emma already!  He can run, throw, catch and HEY, he can HIT!

[JADBP]

On 4/10/2026 at 7:15 AM, jorgenswest said:

He has assets that help the bench. That catch yesterday prevented the Tigers from taking the lead in the 7th. It also allowed the Twins to continue with Acton who then also pitched the 9th inning. It could have been the difference in the game and also results in a more rested bullpen for today’s game.

Unless the Twins are going to employ a rotation where all 13 position players are getting regular starts I think he fits a defense or pinch runner late game sub.

No, I disagree.  We have plenty of fast runners.  Swap Out Outman with Emma.  You will still have a fast runner, who can field, has a strong arm and HIT!  Or Cullpepper or ANYONE that can hit!

[Riverbrian]

On 4/11/2026 at 9:46 AM, stringer bell said:

I don't disagree. Triple A numbers don't always predict success. Just ask Mickey Gasper.

IMHO, Outman has one thing that Keirsey doesn't. He has big time power, but just doesn't make contact nearly enough.

Outman's speed has surprised me. I googled his sprint speed and the reply was that it was elite (28.9 fps). His sprint speed was recorded as 28.5 in 2025. That is equal to Keirsey and faster than Austin Martin. 

Outman is toolsy. Power, speed, defense, arm. 

There was a reason the Dodgers didn't designate him for assignment for multiple seasons. There was a reason the Twins traded for him knowing he was out of options. There is a reason the Twins don't designate him for assignment. 

Normally I'd say you have to let him build up a decent sized sample.

The problem is 19 plate appearances over 16 games is going to take too long to build a decent sample.

The other problem is 10 strikeout over those 19 PA's makes him look completely lost. 1 walk is all he has produced. 

[Major League Ready]

They could cut Outman and have Kreidler / Martin as back-up CF.  Then, bring up Arcia and move Lee to 3rd.  I would say bring up Rodriguez instead but he would not get much playing time which does not make sense at this point in his development.

[jorgenswest]

I think Rodriguez could get enough playing time but it would involve Bell playing 1B more and Caratini/Clemens playing 1B less. Bell is a defensive downgrade at 1B. Rodriguez would be an upgrade in RF over Wallner and in CF when Buxton is out. 

[Mike Sixel]

5 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

Outman is toolsy. Power, speed, defense, arm. 

There was a reason the Dodgers didn't designate him for assignment for multiple seasons. There was a reason the Twins traded for him knowing he was out of options. There is a reason the Twins don't designate him for assignment. 

Normally I'd say you have to let him build up a decent sized sample.

The problem is 19 plate appearances over 16 games is going to take too long to build a decent sample.

The other problem is 10 strikeout over those 19 PA's makes him look completely lost. 1 walk is all he has produced. 

Plus the sample from last year.... He's just not good at hitting. 

[Mike Sixel]

4 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

They could cut Outman and have Kreidler / Martin as back-up CF.  Then, bring up Arcia and move Lee to 3rd.  I would say bring up Rodriguez instead but he would not get much playing time which does not make sense at this point in his development.

I mean, Roden is the next OF up.... Unless they wait a couple months, then who knows? 

[Craig Arko]

I guess I wouldn’t mind seeing Fedko get a chance. Or Roden.

[Major League Ready]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

I mean, Roden is the next OF up.... Unless they wait a couple months, then who knows? 

That's a good point about Roden.  I am disappointed none of the AAA OFers have jumped out of the gate.  Obviously, it's really early but like you I would like to see Outman replaced and it would help if one of those guys got hot.

[dxpavelka]

On 4/10/2026 at 9:54 AM, NYCTK said:

I'm fine with getting rid of him, but I don't want him replaced with a player that I actually want to get playing time.

Someone like Kreidler? Fine. Doesn't really matter much who the 13th man is. 

We've got all these kids in the minors that we want to see and see get playing time but we're fine with getting rid of a guy but don't want him replaced with a guy that we want to get playing time?  Weird.  I get it but we gotta see the kids play at the big league level.  Unless we think that that Martins, Larnachs and Wallners of the world are not only the present but also the future we need to see the kids.

[amjgt]

I understand why we brought him in for a shot last year (toolsy upside) and I even understood why we handed him the 26th man job this season (Glimmer of upside, no options, Buxton insurance, low wattage role), but 2 things have happened now.

1. He's stunk
2. Kreidler is on the roster

Kreidler is just as good of Buxton insurance as Outman was AND he's an elite defensive infielder. As long as Kreidler is on the roster, Outman is completely extraneous. And extraneous in a role that's designed to be low usage is not a good place to be. I assume what it's coming down to is how long the Twins think Royce will be on the IL. If it's just for one more week, then I GUESS they can keep kicking the Outman can down the road, but I really think it's just time to move on. 

I'm totally cool with calling Emma up if they can find him consistent AB at least 5 days a week. His problem has been health and right now he's healthy, so let's do it. As has been stated, this likely means less playing time for Caratini and Clemens, but I'm fine with that. Part of me wonders if they are looking out over a week for when they might be facing fewer LH starters. Obviously you can't project that with 100% accuracy, but you can get a pretty good idea. At the very least you could probably project when we might be facing the toughest lefties (have we already face all the best lefties in the league?), which is who you'd shield Emma against, if anyone. 

[The Great Hambino]

If you don't want to bring up Emma into a role where he isn't playing every day, then bring up Roden instead.  Kriedler can do the things you're getting from Outman, and Roden fits more naturally in a timeshare in the lineup with Martin than with Clemens, who doesn't really give you anything if he can't hit righties (small sample, but a 79 OPS+ and 40% K rate when you're supposed to have the platoon advantage is a mighty low bar for Roden to clear).  He's also 26 with what's likely 4th outfielder upside, so it's not some tragedy if he's not playing every day. 

So give Roden Outman's roster spot and Clemens' playing time.  The supposed boost to 1B defense that Clemens was supposed to provide hasn't really been there, so I think it's a win all around.  This also creates space for Larnach to DH more (and play LF less) as well with Bell/Caratini at 1B more often.

You could also just let Martin sink or swim in a full-time role.  But they don't seem like they're gonna do that, so letting him split time with Roden where you let Martin face some righties could be a happy medium, and definitely preferable to improperly treating Clemens like a strong-side leadoff platoon

[ashbury]

On 4/13/2026 at 1:02 AM, JADBP said:

If the Pirates can fire Shelton on May 8th last year, then we can surely let go of the 26th man who provides very little value to the team.  

Which team needs to fire its manager so that we can DFA Eric Wagaman off of the 40-man?  Or will firing a 3rd-base coach suffice?

[JADBP]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

Which team needs to fire its manager so that we can DFA Eric Wagaman off of the 40-man?  Or will firing a 3rd-base coach suffice?

Right.  Why can’t the Twins Le go of non-performing players?????