Tigers’ Outman heads on concussion IL

The Tigers couldn’t get anything going against Royals’ starter Randy Dobnak in this one and entered the home half of the seventh inning trailing 2-0. Dillon Dingler and Kerry Carpenter started the inning with singles, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. They remained there with two outs when Outman stepped up and hammered a 2-2 fastball from John Schreiber for a 364-foot (100.1-mph EV) three-run shot that turned the game around. Outman has been pretty pitiful overall this season — slashing just .159/.218/.297 with four homers and 16 RBI — but he has now had several big moments that have willed his team to victory.

Outman did his damage off of Spencer Arrighetti in the fourth inning, crushing a 407-foot (105.3-mph EV) three-run shot that increased the Tigers’ lead to 7-0. He also walked in the third inning and scored the Tigers’ first run on a throwing error. The 29-year-old outfielder is now slashing .165/.245/.306 with a pair of homers and eight RBI in 94 plate appearances on the season.

Outman entered the game as a defensive replacement in the fifth inning after Jahmai Jones hit for Kerry Carpenter. He then gave the Tigers their first lead with a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth and raced around to score on an RBI knock by Jake Rogers. Outman also singled to lead off the eighth inning and swiped second base, but the Tigers couldn’t cash him on. On the season, the 29-year-old outfielder is hitting .173/.244/.293 with one homer, five RBI and five stolen bases across his first 82 plate appearances.

Outman started in center field and batted ninth for the Tigers on Friday night. He made a great impression in his first at-bat, launching a 2-2 sinker from Tanner Bibee for a 418-foot (107.5-mph EV) solo shot that pulled the Tigers to within a run at 2-1. That would be as close as they would get though. Perhaps a change of scenery is just what Outman needs to turn things around.

Outman was designated for assignment by the Twins on Saturday. The 29-year-old outfielder slashed a miserable .156/.229/.250 with no homers and four stolen bases in 70 plate appearances with the Twins. He did slug 23 homers in 567 plate appearances as a rookie for the Dodgers in 2023 though, so perhaps the Tigers think they can help him regain that form. He’s out of minor league options so he’s expected to join the Tigers on Friday where they’ll need to make a corresponding move to accommodate him. Javier Baez was transferred to the 60-day injured list to free up a spot on the club’s 40-man roster.

Outman has been removed from Minnesota’s roster after hitting just .156/.229/.250 with zero homers and four steals over 49 games this season, while also striking out in just over 41 percent of his 70 plate appearances. The emergence of Kody Clemens as a viable outfield option seems to have made Outman expendable, especially since he wasn’t offering anything at the plate. At 29 years old, it’s difficult to image a path to a starting role anywhere based on his present trajectory.

It appears to be nothing more than a routine night off for the 33-year-old slugger. Byron Buxton will function as the team’s designated hitter on Thursday while James Outman draws a start in center field and will bat ninth against Royals’ right-hander James Outman.

Buxton participated in pregame workouts over the weekend but has been held out of game action since last Wednesday due to right hip flexor soreness. Twins manager Derek Shelton told reporters prior to Monday’s series opener that Buxton is “very close” to returning to the lineup. However, it’ll be James Outman patrolling center field on Monday night. It certainly sounds like there’s a strong possibility Buxton is ready for Tuesday’s contest, which is a massive relief for fantasy managers.

Buxton is on the bench for the third consecutive contest due to lingering right hip flexor soreness. The 32-year-old center fielder has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball with 15 home runs over his last 26 games dating back to April 13. Twins manager Derek Shelton told reporters Buxton was feeling better prior to Friday’s series opener, but it sounds like he still needs some additional time off to rest and recover this weekend. It’ll be James Outman patrolling center field in his absence on Saturday night. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status as he remains day-to-day heading into Sunday’s series finale.

For once not living up to his name, Outman raised his OBP from .171 to .231 today. He had been without an RBI in 33 at-bats this season coming into the game. With Matt Wallner getting sent down, Outman should be in line for more at-bats against right-handers. He probably wouldn’t have made the team out of spring training if he hadn’t been out of options, and the Twins need to give him some sort of look in order to decide whether he’s worth keeping around.