Outman, Knack and Sauer traveled with the Dodgers overseas to Japan for the club’s season-opening Tokyo Series, but they’re all ticketed for Triple-A to open the year. Outman was edged out by Andy Páges for the starting job in center field. Both Knack and Outman will be up-and-down throughout the year as middle relief innings-eaters.

Outman will be part of the expanded roster for that series against Chicago, but his status for making the roster to open the season after that two-game set is still up in the air. The 27-year-old is just as likely — if not more so — to begin the year with Triple-A Oklahoma City. It might take a trade or injury for him to have a role with Los Angeles.

That’s nine strikeouts in 14 plate appearances this spring. Outman is probably auditioning for other teams at this point, since he’s clearly behind Andy Pages in the Dodgers’ plans and even Pages might not make the team for U.S. Opening Day. The Dodgers no longer have 40-man roster issues with so many guys eligible for the 60-day IL, but they might run into them once those ailing pitchers start returning.

Outman is back on the active roster for the final game of the year. The outfielder takes the roster spot of Justin Wrobleski. Outman likely will be in the game at some point for one of the Dodgers’ star outfielders in the season finale.