⚾The Shift🔥| The Start of a Successful Change? — How Andy Pages Is Becoming Key in the Dodgers’ Lineup
How a transformation at the plate could redefine a talent’s breakthrough.
📚Greetings, dear readers! Happy Monday! I hope this week is off to a great start for you. I’m excited to announce the launch of this new column, “The Shift,” where I’ll dive into the fascinating trends and topics emerging this MLB season. As always, I hope you’ll join me for the ride!
Last night, the Dodgers vs. Braves game began the ninth inning with a Cuban showdown during MLB Sunday Night Baseball. Seven pitches later, Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages got hold of a 95 mph fastball from his compatriot Raisel Iglesias.
Pages’ swing was his slowest of the night across four plate appearances. His hands crossed the plate at just 65.9 mph. After two balls put in play over 101 mph, he grounded one toward the right side of the infield. Second baseman Ozzie Albies dove to his left to stop the bounce, but only managed to keep it from rolling into right field. Albies couldn’t throw out Pages at first base.
Yes, a 77 mph grounder breathed life into the Dodgers on a night when their offense struggled to generate scoring chances—despite a 68% Hard Hit rate on 25 balls in play, they recorded just two extra-base hits: a Miguel Rojas homer and an Austin Barnes double.
Hyeseong Kim pinch-ran for Pages, stole second, and advanced to third on a dropped third strike. Ultimately, Iglesias escaped the inning with three strikeouts, and the Braves secured a 4-3 win, snapping the Dodgers’ seven-game winning streak. Now, back to Pages—here’s what might surprise you: according to Baseball-Reference, he finished the game with 1.3 WAR, the second-highest mark in the Dodgers’ formidable lineup.
Pages also leads all Cuban-born players in WAR this season. The key question: How is he doing it? Posting solid WAR while batting ninth most of the time? Let’s rewind to Sunday’s game to dissect the adjustments Andy Pages is making at the plate. Remember his ninth-inning at-bat? That 77 mph single Albies couldn’t handle. Pages’ speed also helped him beat the throw—another trend worth highlighting: his improved plate discipline.
Pages ended the week with a .342 OBP, a significant jump from his .302 OBP over 443 plate appearances last year.