Andy Pages looked like a potential star in the making coming into last season. He crushed the ball during Spring Training, and it carried over a little into the regular season before he hit a massive rookie wall.
Now, in year two as a full-time big leaguer, Pages is starting to establish himself as one of the tougher outs in a loaded Dodgers‘ lineup. The numbers are pretty, and the confidence he is starting to bring to the field each and every day is an even more beautiful sight to see.
“He is certainly comfortable, and he looks like he is playing like himself in the batter’s box and out in the field. He just looks like a Major League player. The rookie-ness is dusted off, and the confidence exudes,” said manager Dave Roberts.
Whether it is working the count and taking a walk or jumping on the first pitch and driving in runs, Pages has been a machine. He is inside the top 15 in the National League in batting average (.290), home runs (12), and RBIs (40) this season, and even his defense has come along, which was a concern early on.
“I really think that (Teoscar Hernandez) has been a huge kind of mentor to him who brings comfort and support,” said Roberts.
Pages and the man he shares the outfield with, Hernandez, have formed a “big brother-little brother relationship,” and “the two are continuing to push each other” on the field and in the batter’s box.
As the Dodgers’ top outfield prospect coming into last season, expectations were high for the now 24-year-old. At one point in early May of 2024, he boasted an impressive .338 batting average, but just a month later, it had plummeted all the way down to .256. This time around, the numbers have gone in the opposite direction, starting slow before taking off.
“Everybody goes through tough moments, and now he is more comfortable at the plate, getting better pitches to hit, being more selective, and he is enjoying everything that is happening for him right now,” said Hernandez. “You have to go through it to get to the good moments that he is having.”
There is a strong case to be made that Pages should be an All-Star this year when the NL roster is announced. His manager certainly thinks “he is playing like one,” but he will likely have to keep it going for another year before he gets the nod.
Typically, a more established player (even if the stats are not as good) would be honored over someone with as little of a track record as Pages, but it is hard to argue against what he is doing.
After seeing his 11-game hit streak in which he compiled 18 hits end on Saturday, Pages bounced back in the Dodgers’ series opener against San Diego with two more knocks, which included a go-ahead RBI double in extra innings.
“My teammates told me to relax and just go out there and play, and things have been working out,” said Pages. “I’m not trying to think about things too much. If the pitch is in the zone, just swing at it.”
The fans in Los Angeles will likely be upset when he is left off the All-Star roster, but that is the reality of the league. Very rarely does a player in their first breakout season get selected. It also does not help his chances that the Dodgers will already be heavily represented in Atlanta. There is still an outside chance Pages sneaks in as a reserve, especially if he keeps up his recent play, but he would probably rather make it next year instead of this time around anyway, as that would mean he has put things together for another full 365 days.
The Dodgers’ center fielder has all the tools to be a really good player for a long time, and he might just be scratching the surface. One All-Star appearance might not mean much down the road if he continues to prove this is the real version of Andy Pages. If that is the case, he will find himself taking part in many Midsummer Classics.
Feature Image: Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages goes for a hit against the New York Mets on June 6, 2025. Photo credit: Dennis J. Freeman/News4usOnline
Benjamin Verbrugge is a reporter for News4usonline who studied journalism at CSU Dominguez Hills. “Sports have brought me much joy throughout my life, and I want to give a little back to something that has meant so much to me.” Email Benjamin at benverbrugge8@gmail.com.
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