Andy Pages Pain-Free and Set to Begin Swing Progression After Hand Surgery
The Los Angeles Dodgers received an encouraging update on Andy Pages as the All-Star center fielder continues his recovery from surgery on his fractured left hand.
According to Dodgers reporter David Vassegh, Pages is pain-free a little more than a week after surgery and is expected to begin swinging a bat within the next couple of days, marking the start of his hitting progression.
It is a meaningful step for Pages, whose injury initially put the remainder of his regular season in doubt.
But it is still only an early step.
The Dodgers have not announced a firm return date, and beginning a swing progression does not mean Pages is ready for game action. For now, the significance is that his recovery appears to be moving in the right direction with enough time remaining for a potential return before October.
Pages Recovering From Fractured Left Hand
Pages suffered the injury on Aug. 21 when Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler hit him with a 100.2 mph sinker.
Although Pages initially remained in the game, he was later removed, and X-rays revealed a fracture in his left hand. Los Angeles placed him on the 10-day injured list the following day.
Pages subsequently underwent a procedure in which a compression screw was inserted into the fifth metacarpal of the hand to help promote healing.
At the time, the Dodgers expected him to miss at least four weeks, with the hope that a four-to-five-week recovery could put him back on the field near the end of the regular season.
Manager Dave Roberts expressed optimism immediately after the injury that Pages would play again this season, saying he expected the outfielder back and believed Pages' competitiveness could help him return on the earlier side of the timetable.
The latest update supports that optimism without guaranteeing anything.
Swinging Again Will Be an Important Test
Being pain-free is obviously encouraging.
Actually swinging a bat will provide another important checkpoint.
Hand injuries can be particularly complicated for hitters because even after the bone begins healing, players still need to regain comfort gripping the bat and absorbing the force created by repeated swings and contact.
Pages will likely have to progress gradually from dry swings into more intensive hitting work before the Dodgers can determine when he is ready to face live pitching.
CBS Sports and RotoWire both reported that the plan is for Pages to begin that progression within days and noted that the development keeps him on track for a possible return before the regular season ends.
There is no reported timetable yet for a rehab assignment.
That will depend on how the hand responds as the intensity increases.
Dodgers Have Missed Pages
The injury removed one of the Dodgers' most productive and dependable players from the lineup.
Pages was hitting .272 with a .796 OPS when he went down and had earned his first All-Star selection this season. His value was not limited to offense, either.
MLB noted that Pages had accumulated 5.5 bWAR, second on the Dodgers behind only Shohei Ohtani at the time of the injury, while also ranking in the 95th percentile with nine Outs Above Average in center field.
That combination has made him difficult to replace.
Los Angeles initially recalled Alek Thomas after Pages went on the IL, but Thomas has since returned to Triple-A. Tommy Edman has received substantial work in center field as the Dodgers continue piecing together the position.
Getting Pages back would allow the Dodgers to restore one of their best defensive players while adding another important right-handed bat to a lineup that has struggled with consistency.
October Return Remains Possible
The encouraging part of Wednesday's update is that nothing currently suggests Pages has fallen behind the Dodgers' original timetable.
The initial four-to-five-week estimate from late August already placed his potential return somewhere near the end of September.
Beginning his swing progression now keeps that possibility alive.
It would still be premature to say Pages is definitely returning before the postseason.
He has to begin hitting.
He has to tolerate increased intensity.
He eventually has to prove the hand is strong enough to handle game situations.
And the Dodgers will have to decide how much preparation he needs after being away from Major League pitching.
But considering how concerning the injury looked when it occurred, being pain-free and preparing to swing a little more than a week after surgery qualifies as a positive development.
For now, the Dodgers do not have Andy Pages back.
But his path toward a possible late-September return appears to be moving forward.