Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder James Outman is 26 years old.
That’s an important fact to keep in mind for the purposes of this article. He is nowhere near the youngest player on the Dodgers; that distinction currently belongs to catcher Diego Cartaya, a 22-year-old who spent 2023 with Double-A Tulsa.
On Thursday afternoon, Outman’s age became a discussion point during Los Angeles’s spring training opener against the San Diego Padres.
Asked to name a Dodger he grew up watching, Outman opted for outfielder Joc Pederson—a Los Angeles mainstay from 2014-20 and an All-Star in 2015.
James Outman is on TV being asked about Dodgers he remembered watching as a kid, and he said: Joc Pederson pic.twitter.com/6E2Yu6AlaA
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) February 22, 2024
Timeout.
Pederson is very much still active and just 31 years old (he’ll turn 32 in April). That would mean Outman, when asked to name a Dodger he watched growing up, cited a player that debuted with the team when Outman was already 17.
Former All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp, for instance, would’ve made more sense while also accomplishing the task of making baseball fans feel old. Instead, Outman opted to vex spectators of all ages.
