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Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Andy Pages has been raking ever since being called up on April 16. His promotion in part came after Jason Heyward's back injury and Chris Taylor's struggles at the plate.
On Wednesday, Pages continued his explosive hitting with a two-run home run to the left-field stands to put the Dodgers 2-0 up in the second inning of their ongoing game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
It came against Jordan Montgomery's 3-2 pitch as the ball sailed for 429 feet after coming off the bat with an exit velocity of 107.7 mph. Moreover, this was his third homer of the season.
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It's not like everything was smoothly sailing for Pages. After getting hit in his first at-bat, he struggled at the plate 1–13, which included eight strikeouts. Early on, the issue for him was getting on top of the high-flying fastball, but over time, he has adjusted well.
When Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked if Pages would stay here "long term," he said:
“Well, everyone’s idea of a while is relative. So -- yeah, he will. My version is yes, he will.”
Dodgers managers laud Andy Pages contribution
Through his first 13 games with the Dodgers, Pages is hitting .300, including 15 hits and eight RBIs. His contribution and his approach towards the plate have helped the Dodgers down the stretch, leaving his manager impressed.
“Very impressed with Andy,” said Roberts. “I think one of the things that we bet on Andy was the head, that he wasn’t going to be overwhelmed being here. Certainly, he’s not.”
Roberts was not only praising his offense but also how defensively he has engaged at center field.
“He just didn’t panic,” Roberts said. “He has the ability to go from line to line. I love him defensively. He’s engaged. Not that he didn’t open up eyes before, but you just don’t know until you see it at this level. I’m happy that he’s getting a good little run. It’s good for him.”
For now, Heyward has taken a pause from baseball activities, which should allow more time for Andy Pages on the roster. He is certainly making the most of the opportunity provided.
