James Outman is becoming the next great outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 26-year-old has been great in his rookie season, especially as of late for the National League West leaders. He is fifth on the team in hits, sixth in RBI and has played very strong defense in one of the toughest positions.

It hasn’t been a total cakewalk for Outman, though, as he struggled in the middle of the season, posting an OPS just above .550 in both May and June. The center fielder has learned how to deal with his struggles, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic: stay calm and don’t get overly frustrated.

“I’ve learned over the years, being angry doesn’t help me much,” Outman said, via The Athletic. “For me, if I get angry, I put myself in a deeper hole. … You take everything in stride and deal with it. If I’m not joking around, then I’m going to be miserable because I’m not playing well and I’m being serious. So I might as well have fun with it.”

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Having such a mature mindset will undoubtedly help Outman navigate his career. The Dodgers will most likely be playing a lot of playoff baseball in the years to come. They will need all their key players ready for the spotlight. Outman's ability to laugh off his struggles suggests he has what it takes, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained.

“He always had a little bit of levity with his struggles,” Roberts said, via The Athletic. “I think that’s really telling for a young player. To be a little self-deprecating. To make some jokes about it.”

The Dodgers have plenty of stars to rely on, so James Outman will never have to be tasked with carrying a huge offensive load. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman remain the best of the best and Will Smith and J.D. Martinez have been great, too. Outman gives the Dodgers and team-controlled player that allows them to keep spending heavily on the roster. With the groove he is in as the dog days of the season come around, it wouldn’t be wrong to call him one of the most valuable players on one of baseball's best teams.