Andy Pages is the hottest hitter in the Majors a couple of weeks into the season, leading the league in batting average and ranking fourth in on-base plus slugging percentage. Additionally, his 213 wRC+ is fourth-best among qualified hitters.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been extremely impressed with Pages’ performance thus far. If the time comes for a shakeup in the batting order, the Dodgers’ skipper said Pages has earned his trust to hit in the top third of the lineup but there are other factors at play.
“He has shown me enough,” Roberts said on SportsNet LA. “Whether it’s the right thing as far as somebody behind Freddie and all that stuff, there’s other things that I think through. But as far as do I feel comfortable with him hitting in the three? Absolutely.”
Pages has been a bottom-half-of-the-order hitter in his career, but has shown year-over-year improvement and an explosion in production so far in 2026.
The third-year outfielder is on an extended hot streak at the plate, fueled by an 88th-percentile hard-hit rate and 71st-percentile bat speed. On top of that, Pages has an above-average mean exit velocity and barrel percentage.
Pages’ approach at the plate has also led to his success. He has largely avoided swings and misses, and has made marked improvements in chasing balls out of the zone. The right-hander was in the 18th percentile for chase percentage last season, but has improved to the 55th percentile in 2026. All of this has led to him significantly cutting down on his strikeout rate.
It could be beneficial for the Dodgers to move Pages up to the No. 3 spot with Mookie Betts on the injured list. But like Roberts mentioned, there is a lot that goes in to making that decision. That includes the team’s optimism about Betts’ recovery.
Roberts previously said he anticipated a return before the typical four- to six-week recovery for an oblique strain.
All in all, the Dodgers could wait to make a decision until they have a clearer picture of what the team needs. Even with a fully healthy lineup, it’s probably best to not rock the boat if the offense and team keeps performing well. Still, plenty of things can change over the course of the season and Pages can continue to play himself into a bigger role.
Andy Pages named National League Player of the Week
Pages was first to earn National League Player of the Week honors during the 2026 season. The 25-year-old was recognized for the period of March 30 through April 5.
He started in all six games the Dodgers played during that stretch, going 14-for-24 (.583) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI two walks and five runs scored. Pages’ hot hitting amounted to a 1.532 on-base plus slugging percentage over the six games.
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