The Dodgers officially placed Andy Pages on the 10-day injured list Saturday and called up Alek Thomas from Triple-A Oklahoma City, a day after Pages suffered a fractured left hand in a 5-4 win over the Pirates.
Pages was hit by a Bubba Chandler fastball in the third inning on Aug. 21, then stayed in the game for another inning before Enrique Hernandez took over in center field in the top of the fifth. Dave Roberts said the injury should keep Pages out about 4-5 weeks, which lines up with a return near the end of the regular season.
What Pages means to the Dodgers
The injury is a notable blow because Pages had become one of the sport’s best defensive outfielders in center field this year. At the plate, he was also giving the Dodgers real production, hitting.272/.338/.458 with 21 homers and 119 wRC+ in 550 plate appearances.
That combination of power and run prevention made him an important part of a Dodgers team that was trying to secure a first-round bye while also protecting its division lead. The timing matters, too: Pages’ projected absence covers a stretch when the Dodgers may need to manage both the standings and the postseason picture.
Why Alek Thomas is the next man up
Thomas now gets the call as the Dodgers look for a center field option while Pages recovers. The move gives Los Angeles another defensive-minded outfielder at a time when depth is more important than ever.
Roberts said there is still time for Pages to return this season and noted that the club has to “move on and hold down the fort until he’s back.” He also said he would expect Pages back on the earlier side, which at least leaves open the possibility that the injury does not end his season. For now, though, the Dodgers will have to absorb the loss and see whether Thomas can help stabilize center field during the next few weeks.
Pages was acquired by the Dodgers from the Diamondbacks in May 2026, and his rapid rise made this injury especially frustrating for a team that has leaned on him heavily. The good news for Los Angeles is that the diagnosis came with a recovery window, not a season-ending timeline. The challenge is simply surviving without him long enough to get him back.
