This story was excerpted from Sonja Chen’s Dodgers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
The first update for Phase 1 of All-Star voting was released on Monday, and the Dodgers are on their way to being well-represented on the National League team on July 15 in Atlanta.
Shohei Ohtani is the overall leading vote-getter in the NL, and Will Smith, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández rank among the leaders at their positions. Tommy Edman, Max Muncy and Mookie Betts would be finalists if Phase 1 voting ended now.
But one of their most deserving All-Star candidates is on the outside looking in, as of the first ballot update. That is none other than Andy Pages, who ranked seventh among NL outfielders behind Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, Hernández, Juan Soto, Corbin Carroll and Ronald Acuña Jr.
With no disrespect to Hernández, who's having a fine season, Pages should be the top Dodgers outfielder under consideration to start the All-Star Game. Not only did the 24-year-old make an impressive early season turnaround to become one of Los Angeles' most valuable players, but he arguably has been one of the best NL outfielders in the first half.
"It’d be amazing. It’d be a great feat for myself," Pages said recently through interpreter Juan Dorado. "But obviously … it’s out of my hands. If I get there, it’d be awesome.”
Entering April 15, Pages was hitting .137. A handful of mistakes in the outfield and on the basepaths didn't help the overall picture.
But manager Dave Roberts made it clear that he wasn't losing hope in his young outfielder. Pages continued to get everyday opportunities, and it wasn't long before he began to turn things around. He really took a step forward when he racked up a combined 10 hits in a three-game series against the Pirates from April 25-27.
Pages entered that series batting .183 and managed to raise his average to a healthy .277 by the end of it. From that point, he didn't let up.
With a much larger chunk of the season under his belt, Pages has shown himself to be a top defensive outfielder in the NL, as well as a dangerous bat in a lineup loaded with talent.
Here's where Pages ranks among his fellow qualified NL outfielders:
• Second in batting average (.290), behind TJ Friedl (.294)
• Tied for third in RBIs (50) with Hernández, behind Crow-Armstrong (60) and Wood (56)
• Fourth in homers (15), behind Carroll, Crow-Armstrong and James Wood (who all have 20)
• Fourth in slugging percentage (.509), behind Carroll (.573), Wood (.564) and Crow-Armstrong (.558)
• Sixth in OPS (.839), behind Wood (.944), Carroll (.914), Tucker (.898), Crow-Armstrong (.867) and Soto (.845)
Even if Pages isn't elected to the NL's starting lineup by fans, he should have a good shot at making the roster as a reserve. Phase 1 of All-Star voting is open through 9 a.m. PT on Thursday.
In his sophomore season, Pages has established himself as one of baseball's rising stars. He could really put himself on the map if he makes it to the Midsummer Classic.
"Boy, he's playing like it right now," Roberts said recently. "That's up to the fans, but he's playing All-Star baseball."