Dodgers fans just got hit with a gut punch worse than a 100 mph fastball. Their 25-year-old phenom, Andy Pages, fractured the back of his left hand Friday night after getting drilled by a pitch from Pirates starter Bubba Chandler. It looked bleak for a minute, with whispers of a season-ending injury flying around, but manager Dave Roberts quickly dropped some crucial news: Pages isn’t done for the year.
The Impact of a 100 MPH Fastball
This wasn’t just any hit-by-pitch, folks. Pages got rocked by a blazing 100 mph heater from Chandler in the bottom of the third inning. That’s gotta sting. Initially, Pages toughed it out, staying in the game through the fourth. But by the top of the fifth, Enrique Hernández had to take over in center field, and the extent of the damage became clear.
Roberts told reporters after the 5-4 win against the Pirates that while it’s a fracture, it’s not season-ending. He’s talking a four-to-five-week timeline, expecting Pages back on the earlier side. There’s even a possibility of surgery, but Roberts doesn’t think that changes the return schedule. It’s a total bummer for Pages, who’s been having a monster year, and Roberts made sure to acknowledge that.
Pages’ Stellar Season and Who Steps Up
Pages really burst onto the scene this season, and this injury couldn’t come at a worse time. He’s slashing an impressive .272/.338/.458 with 21 homers in 128 games. But he’s not just a bat, either. The dude is an absolute wizard in center field, racking up 17 defensive runs saved, which is second only to Ceddanne Rafaela at that position. Talk about a complete player!
With Pages on the shelf, expect Hernández and Tommy Edman to soak up most of the playing time in center. This injury also compounds the Dodgers’ lineup woes, as they’re already dealing with uncertainty around Dalton Rushing, who’s got a partially torn UCL. Rushing is hoping to throw and maybe even catch again by September, but man, the injury bug is hitting hard in LA.
The Playoff Picture and Pages’ Return
The good news is that the Dodgers have some breathing room. They’ve got a comfy nine-game lead in the NL West, so there’s no pressure to rush Pages back. A four-week recovery means he could be back for the final week of the regular season, which wraps up on September 27. Getting him some at-bats before the playoffs would be huge.
The Dodgers are also looking solid for a deep playoff run. They hold a three-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for the NL’s No. 2 seed and are only two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in all of MLB. (Though the Brewers do have the tiebreaker, 4-3 head-to-head.) If LA clinches a top-two seed, they wouldn’t even play until the Division Series kicks off on October 3. Imagine Pages back in that lineup, healthy and ready to smash, right when it matters most. Get well soon, Andy!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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