The Los Angeles Dodgers have now lost another All-Star to injury, with outfielder Andy Pages going on the injured list due to a fractured left hand.
Pages left the team’s win over the Pittsburgh Pirates after being hit by a pitch in the third inning. He was struck by a 100.2 mph fastball from Pirates’ Bubba Chandler but was able to remain in the game before being taken out in the fifth inning.
Due to the severity of the injury, Pages is now expected to be out at least four weeks.
The outfielder also underwent surgery, manager Dave Roberts announced on Sunday. However, he said earlier this weekend that the surgery doesn’t mean the injury would be season-ending.
“I don’t think it changes the timeline,” Roberts said. “I think it’s certainly gonna be four weeks as the floor for [Pages] to be back with us, but, like I told him in the X-ray room, the season is not over for him, and we expect him back [at] full health.”
When Will Andy Pages Return?
With Pages needing surgery, his recovery timeline is a little murky, but he’s expected to be out for at least four weeks, if not longer. This should line everything up for him to return just before the playoffs.
This injury is unfortunate for Los Angeles, with Pages putting together a full breakout year. Overall, Pages has hit .272 with 21 home runs and 80 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .796.
The Dodgers will hope that Pages can recover as quickly as possible ahead of the playoffs starting. But injuries this late in the season are always tricky, putting all parties into a wait-and-see mode.
“There’s still time in the season for him to be back, but I feel for him because he was having such a good year and he likes to play,” Roberts said. “But yeah, we’ve got to move on and hold down the fort until he’s back.”
Who Did the Dodgers Replace Andy Pages With?
To replace Pages on the roster, the Dodgers called up center fielder Alek Thomas from the minor leagues. Thomas was acquired by the Dodgers in May from the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he has spent the year in Triple-A.
Thomas is a plus defender in the outfield, but his bat has been inconsistent at the big-league level over his career. However, the outfielder made his debut for the Dodgers on Saturday against Pittsburgh, delivering an RBI single.
Playing in 55 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Thomas hit .296 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs, while recording an OPS of .855. Thomas did play in the majors this season with Arizona, hitting .181 with two home runs and an OPS of .563 over 22 games.
While Thomas won’t replace Pages’ production, he is a good option for the Dodgers while the All-Star remains out. If Thomas can give Los Angeles any type of consistent offensive output, it should be viewed as a win for the team in the final weeks of the season.
Thomas will mostly start against right-handed pitching, with Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández starting in center field against left-handed pitching.
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