Dodgers Calling Up Ex-Top Prospect Outfielder to Replace Andy Pages After Injury

The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to call up outfielder Alek Thomas to replace Andy Pages after the All-Star center fielder suffered a fractured hand in Friday night's 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic was first to report the news.

Thomas, 26, is a former second-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks who was their No. 1 overall prospect in 2022. He was ranked as the No. 18 prospect in all of baseball that year, per MLB Pipeline.

Thomas is a plus-defender in center field who has struggled with his bat over the last few years. The Dodgers acquired him from the Diamondbacks in May after he was designated for assignment, and he's been in Triple-A ever since, where the team has tried to unlock his offense.

Across 55 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Thomas is hitting .296 with seven home runs, 40 RBIs and an OPS of .855. Prior to the trade, he hit .181 with an OPS of .563 across 22 games with the Diamondbacks this season.

Overall, across parts of five seasons at the big league level, Thomas is hitting .230 with 31 home runs and an OPS of .634 over 448 games.

Why Are the Dodgers Calling Up Alek Thomas Over One of Their Top Outfield Prospects?

The Dodgers have a handful of top outfield prospects led by one of baseball's best prospects in Josue De Paula. However, they aren't calling any of them up to replace Pages.

The main reason is the team is prioritizing center field defense over offense at this point in the season. Thomas is a plus-defender in center field, and the team likely wants to see if the swing changes they made with him can lead to better results.

“You’ve got to be mindful of the defense, certainly in center field," manager Dave Roberts said Friday night in regards to who the team would bring up to replace Pages. "Somebody that can handle center field. We’ll piece it together. I’m not sure right now, but I do think that the main thing is locking down center field."

Thomas, Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman will likely factor into the team's center field plans for now. If Thomas struggles mightily offensively over the next couple weeks, it's possible the team looks to one of their top outfield prospects to provide an offensive spark before Pages can return.

When Will Andy Pages Return?

Pages is expected to miss at least four to five weeks due to the injury. That lines him up to return just before the postseason.

"It’s not season-ending, because obviously things like that is four or five weeks. So I would expect him back, knowing him, on the earlier side," Roberts said. "There’s still time in the season for him to be back, but I feel for him because he was having such a good year and he likes to play.

"But yeah, we’ve got to move on and hold down the fort until he’s back.”

Add us as a preferred source on Google