For all the expectations with the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup, the bottom third has largely underperformed to this point in the season. The bulk of that has been by the Dodgers’ outfield depth and also some inconsistency from Gavin Lux.
James Outman has swung the bat well at times and is in the midst of improved results, but the Dodgers have otherwise received little production from the likes of Chris Taylor, Kiké Hernández and Taylor Trammell.
Jason Heyward didn’t yet get into a rhythm prior to being placed on the 10-day injured list because of lower back tightness. He recently started baseball activities but is bothered by lingering discomfort and will need a rehab assignment prior to returning.
Given the current outlook, the Dodgers are looking to provide a jolt to their outfield by recalling Andy Pages from Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to Juan Toribio of MLB.com:
Source: It’s Andy Pages time. After a dominant spring and start to the Triple-A season, the #Dodgers are calling up the Cuban infielder.
Pages is the No. 3 prospect in the organization per @MLBPipeline and No. 94 in the Top 100. First with news: @francysromeroFR.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) April 16, 2024
Pages is batting .371/.452/.694 with three doubles, one triple, five home runs and 15 RBI through 15 games with OKC this season. Pages slugged two homers on Sunday to give him five in the last seven games.
Moreover, Pages has put together back-to-back three-hit games and hit safely eight in a row. During that span he has seven multi-hit games and gone 18-for-35 with two doubles, five home runs, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored.
Pages leads the Oklahoma City Baseball Club this season with 23 hits and 16 runs scored.
Whenever Pages gets into a game for the Dodgers it will represent his MLB debut. Pages already is on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster.
How Andy Pages fits on Dodgers roster
The Dodgers recalling Pages addresses their outfield production, but he’s only played center field and right field for OKC this season.
Thus, he could be part of a platoon with Outman in center, or receive starts in right field, which would shift Teoscar Hernández back over to left field.
That’s where Hernández was playing to begin the season but was shifted over to right field — his preferred position — since Heyward’s back injury.
A more natural fit for the Dodgers would have been to recall Miguel Vargas, who is now playing left field on an everyday basis. Vargas is off to an encouraging start with OKC as well but not quite to the same level as Pages.
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