Los Angeles Dodgers rookie James Outman is already stealing the hearts of fans. Although the Dodgers were defeated by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday 6-3, Outman homered in the game. The home run was especially meaningful to the 25-year old, as he grew up rooting for Madison Bumgarner, per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya.
“James Outman grew up 25 minutes away from Oracle Park rooting for Madison Bumgarner on the Giants, and took him deep tonight. Called it ‘pretty special' and said he already had a message on his phone from one of his buddies he'd grown up with about it,” Ardaya wrote on Twitter.
The San Francisco Giants were a powerhouse from 2010-2014, winning three World Series championships during that span. Madison Bumgarner played a big role on those teams. The big left-hander debuted in 2009 with San Francisco, and impacted the Giants in 2010. 2011, however, was his first full season in the major leagues. Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw and Giants' Madison Bumgarner established themselves as two of the best pitchers in the game.
Bumgarner isn't the same pitcher he once was, while Kershaw remains one of the better arms in baseball. Nevertheless, this was still an incredible moment for James Outman. Homering off of a childhood hero has to be a surreal experience.
James Outman and the Dodgers will face the Diamondbacks in Arizona once again at 5:10 PM PST on Saturday night. Los Angeles enters the game with a 5-3 record, while the D'Backs are sitting at 4-4. The season series between LA and Arizona is also tied at three games apiece.
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