Noah Syndergaard stretches, James Outman keeps hitting, J.D. Martinez plays left field

The Dodgers split their two games on Saturday, beating the Giants 13-8 in Scottsdale while falling to the Cubs 5-2 at Camelback Ranch.

In the home game, Noah Syndergaard continued his efficient spring training, working into the fifth inning, allowing only a solo home run in his final frame. The right-hander threw 55 pitches in his 4⅓ innings, and so far this spring has eight strikeouts and no walks in his 9⅓ innings, allowing just the one run.

Rarely making an Outman

James Outman has yet to hit a double this spring. That’s about the extent of his demerits so far in camp. The outfielder did hit a home run against the Cubs, though.

It was Outman’s second home run this spring, to go along with a triple. It’s been a hell of a run since last July for Outman, who just keeps hitting.

When he got called up at the end of July last year, Outman to that point was hitting .279/.381/.534 in 90 games, only 22 of those games in Triple-A. He had six hits, including a home run and two doubles in his four-game debut with the Dodgers, then after getting sent back down Outman hit for the cycle twice in a five-day span, and had 26 extra-base hits in 35 games with Oklahoma City.

Outman’s hitting has continued this spring. Sure, it’s only been 25 plate appearances in the Cactus League, but he has three extra-base hits, three walks, and a pristine 1.280 OPS.

Since his initial call to the big leagues last July 30, between the majors, Triple-A, and spring training, Outman is hitting .352/.441/.739 with 13 home runs, 13 doubles, and five triples in 49 games and 166 plate appearances with a 14.4-percent walk rate and 29.5-percent strikeout rate.

It’s been a hell of a run.

Have glove, will travel play the home game

J.D. Martinez played five innings in left field on Saturday, his first time in the outfield this spring after nine starts at designated hitter. All 139 of his games in 2022 for the Red Sox came at designated hitter, and since the start of 2020 Martinez started 41 games in corner outfield spots — 31 times in left field, 10 in right.

Naturally, the first batter of the game flew out to Martinez in left, one of two balls hit to him. At the plate, Martinez was 0-for-2 with a strikeout.

Notes

• Yency Almonte made his Cactus League debut this year, pitching the seventh inning against the Giants. He allowed a walk and two singles, giving up two runs in his inning with one strikeout in his first appearance.
• Outfielder Steven Duggar, a 2015 draft pick of the Giants who played for eight seasons in the organization, enjoyed his time back in his old stomping grounds in Scottsdale, hitting a two-run home run and two-run double against his old team.
• Shelby Miller is the first Dodgers reliever to pitcher longer than one inning this spring, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at the box score. The right-hander worked around two hits to pitch a scoreless fourth inning, thanks to three strikeouts. Miller began the fifth as well, but allowed a double to open the frame followed by a home run from Blake Sabol, ending his outing.

Up next

The Dodgers go back to the simpler, single-game schedule on Sunday, heading to Goodyear to face the Reds (1:05 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Dustin May starts for Los Angeles, making his third appearance of the spring.