hitting coaches. Outman has described himself as “a caveman” in his hitting approach when he entered professional baseball. The visit to Maven was a deep dive into the mechanics of his swing seven years later. They suggested he flatten his barrel in his setup, holding it close to parallel. The change is supposed to make his upper and lower body more connected during his swing.

“The super vertical barrel was kind of throwing off my sequencing. By the time it was coming back to this position (the start of his swing), my hips were gone so my bat was dragging through a lot,” Outman said.

Outman had worked with hitting guru Craig Wallenbrock in the past “but that’s all his eye — this was a lot more data-driven. So they were presenting me with stuff I couldn’t really argue with.”

The adjustments are still a work in progress. Outman has started the spring 2 for 10 with six strikeouts in Cactus League play.

“I think his posture is better, which should be able to cover the top half of the zone a little bit better, which has been a place that he’s been exploited,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think last year he certainly needed to make an adjustment, and he did.”

How Outman got so far off track after his initial success, Roberts said he didn’t know. But it certainly doesn’t make Outman unique among young players.

“I think that, like a lot of young players, when you start to scuffle, you just can’t stop that spiral,” Roberts said. “I think that there is a little feeling of the pressure of trying to perform bled into last year. And I just think that we couldn’t slow it down. I think that this year, he’s in a healthy competition. I think that’s good. I think he looks good physically, as always, and he made the swing change, so he’s holding his own right now.”

With most of the 29 other MLB teams, Outman would probably also be holding onto a roster spot right now. But he finds himself with an uncertain path back into the Dodgers’ plans.

“Maybe. But that’s not the situation I’m in, so there’s no sense wasting any energy on it,” Outman said.

“My job is still the same. My job is to play baseball. I can’t really read into anything like that. My job is to be James Outman.”

OHTANI DEBUT

Shohei Ohtani took live at-bats against a minor league pitcher and did some baserunning drills on a back field at Camelback Ranch on Wednesday morning. He saw 37 pitches, swung at 14 and hit one over the fence.

Roberts said Ohtani will see his first game action of the spring Friday night when the Dodgers face Ohtani’s former team, the Angels, in Glendale. Ohtani will be at DH with left-hander Yusei Kikuchi scheduled to start for the Angels. Ohtani and Kikuchi are from the same hometown in Japan (Iwate) and went to the same high school a few years apart.

Ohtani has thrown four bullpen sessions since the start of spring camp, building up to 30 pitches and touching 95 mph in his most recent session. The Dodgers do not plan to have Ohtani pitch in any Cactus League games and will set up simulated games for him to prepare for a return to the mound in MLB games some time in May.

“There’s still a process that we all have to go through,” Roberts said. “Obviously, Shohei is very anxious in everything. But, he’s bought into the program on the progression. Swinging of the bat, I expect him to be in a major league game very soon. And then pitching, he’s just understanding that we got a long season to go, so he’s sort of bought into whatever we need from him.

“But (I’m) very surprised how quick it’s gone and seamless. It’s great.”

Ohtani had surgery on his right elbow in September 2023 and on his left shoulder last November.

ALSO

Right-hander Bobby Miller remains in concussion protocol but is expected to throw a bullpen session during Friday’s workout. Miller was hit in the head by a line drive last Thursday.