The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that All-Star center fielder Andy Pages sustained a broken bone in his left hand after being struck by a pitch during Friday night’s game against Pittsburgh, a contest the Dodgers won 5-4 in 10 innings. Pages remained in the game initially to run the bases and played defense in the subsequent half-inning before being removed from the lineup. The team placed him on the injured list with an expected recovery period of four weeks, though the extent of any required surgical intervention remains undetermined.
Pages, 25 years old, was having a strong season at the plate and in the field when the injury occurred. The center fielder had compiled a .272/.338/.458 batting line with 21 home runs, accomplishments that earned him selection to the All-Star Game earlier in the month. Defensively, Pages ranked among the top 10 outfielders league-wide in both defensive runs saved and outs above average. Manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence in the player’s potential return, stating he expected Pages to rejoin the roster on the earlier end of the recovery timeline given the remaining regular season schedule.
The Dodgers addressed the roster vacancy by calling up center fielder Alek Thomas. The team also has super utility players Enrique Hernández and Tommy Edman available as defensive alternatives, though Hernández is set to turn 35 on Monday and Edman missed the early portion of the season following ankle surgery. Pages had emerged as a crucial right-handed hitter in the Dodgers’ lineup, providing important offensive balance to a roster that typically features left-handed dominance.
The defending two-time World Series champions currently hold a record of 78-51 with the regular season concluding later this year. Los Angeles maintains a three-game advantage over the Atlanta Braves in the competition for the National League’s second seed and a first-round bye, a positioning that could provide Pages additional recovery time before playoff competition begins.
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