The Los Angeles Dodgers are loaded with some of the most talent in MLB history. However, most of their best players aren’t homegrown.
They’ve relied on bringing in outside talent in recent years. One of the homegrown players who had a big role last season was outfielder Andy Pages. He put together a strong regular season, hitting 27 home runs and batting .272 in the regular season.
Unfortunately, for the second season in a row, he fell apart in the postseason. He is batting .114 in the playoffs over the last two seasons. His defense saved the Dodgers from losing the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, but it’s difficult to keep such an ice-cold bat in the lineup.
That said, he’s shown some good potential, and he’s only 25. The Dodgers are going to have to make a contract decision with Pages soon, but according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, the team has yet to speak with him about an extension.
“Which brings up an interesting question: With one tantalizing young center fielder in the Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong getting a six-year, $115 million contract extension last week, could the Dodgers entertain getting a similar deal done with Pages?
“The Dodgers have not broached any extension talks with him, league sources told The Athletic last week,” Ardaya wrote.
Pages Dismisses Postseason Concerns
It’s not uncommon for young players to struggle in the postseason. Even multi-time MVPs like Aaron Judge have been known to play their worst baseball in the biggest games.
The problem is that Pages isn’t just a bad postseason performer; he’s coming off arguably the worst postseason run for any player ever. His .211 OPS was the lowest ever for a player with at least 50 plate appearances in a single postseason.
For his part, Pages is trying not to focus on those struggles.
“The postseason’s what the postseason was, and I’m not really focused on that,” Pages said recently. “I’m focused on what I’m doing right now, and my confidence is really high.”
Pages has the chance to be a very good MLB player, but those postseason woes are going to stick out more with a team like the Dodgers that’s consistently competing for World Series titles.
Dave Robert Still High on Pages
Pages’ cold bat in the playoffs hasn’t stopped the Dodgers from winning back-to-back World Series titles, but it’s difficult to have a player in the batting order who is essentially an automatic out. Manager Dave Roberts has consistently stood by Pages, and he’s still high on the young outfielder.
“He’s a complete player,” Roberts said of Pages. “And I’m excited to see what he can do this year.”
Pages is hitting .286 to start the season, so he’s off to a solid start. At worst, he’ll be a solid regular season bat for the team, who might need to see his role diminished in the postseason. It would be a big deal for the Dodgers if he could be a bit more effective on offense in the playoffs, as he’s a very strong asset on defense.
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