All spring, the Dodgers marveled at how far forward of schedule outfield prospect Andy Pages was in his restoration from shoulder surgical procedure final season.
Simply three weeks into the common season, Pages’ main league debut is arriving earlier than anticipated, too.
Pages is anticipated to be known as up by the Dodgers, a number of folks with information of the scenario who have been unauthorized to talk publicly confirmed Tuesday, after a blistering begin to the 12 months in triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis that noticed the 23-year-old Cuba native bat .371 with 5 dwelling runs and 15 RBI in 15 video games.
Whereas Pages was on monitor to make his Main League Baseball debut this 12 months, his call-up comes after simply 16 whole video games in triple-A the previous two seasons — and solely 10 months after he underwent season-ending surgical procedure for a torn labrum final June.
Within the wake of that process, Dodgers officers entered this spring cautioning that Pages may want time to completely regain kind.
As an alternative, after going eight for 17 with two dwelling runs in Cactus League play, the staff’s top-ranked outfield prospect was named by supervisor Dave Roberts final month as one of many membership’s largest spring coaching surprises.
“I believe, given what he went via final 12 months with the shoulder surgical procedure and the way he carried out this spring, that’s been the largest nice shock,” Roberts mentioned of Pages, who’s the staff’s No. 3 general prospect, in keeping with MLB Pipeline.
A profession .262 hitter within the minors, Pages continued to escalate his sport with Oklahoma Metropolis.
After injuring his shoulder in his triple-A debut final 12 months, Pages dominated the extent via two weeks this season. In 62 at-bats, he had 23 hits (9 of them for further bases), eight walks and solely 13 strikeouts. His 1.146 on-base-plus-slugging share was third-best within the Pacific Coast League. He additionally break up his time between two positions, enjoying middle and proper in a possible preview of what the Dodgers may ask of him in MLB.
Pages’ arrival comes because the Dodgers have seemed to bolster the underside of their lineup. Coming into Tuesday, the staff’s .187 batting common from its Nos. 6-9 hitters ranked fourth-worst within the majors. Depth within the outfield has turn out to be a current concern, too, with Jason Heyward on the injured record for a again harm and James Outman, Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernández all struggling on the plate.
Between that and Pages’ personal spectacular play this month, the pathway towards an early call-up was all of a sudden paved. Pages is formally on his method to the majors. And the Dodgers are hoping he will help the underside half of their order snap an early-season malaise.
