Andy Pages to get a 'runway' in the Dodgers outfield

17/04/2024 02:30

With Jason Heyward's back injury sidelining him longer than expected, Andy Pages will get an opportunity in the Dodgers outfield. Taylor Trammell was designated for assignment to make roster room.

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers called up Andy Pages from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, as expected, and to make room for the power-hitting outfielder, Taylor Trammell was designated for assignment.

It's a remarkable rise for Pages, who reached Triple-A in May 2023 but tore his labrum in his first game and missed the rest of the season after surgery.

"There's a lot of hitters that hurt their lead arm, and it affects their swing considerably. So for him to rebound speaks to obviously how much commitment he put into the rehab process," manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday. "He's in as good a shape as he's ever been, and put in a lot of work. It's a pleasant surprise."

After a strong spring training this year, Pages hit .371/.452/.694 with five home runs in 15 games.

"He's got plus power, and coming back from this dramatic surgery that he had last year, he's been nothing but fantastic since spring training," Roberts said. "A very good defender, we've got him in center field tonight, and he plays right field really well."

Pages, wearing number 84, starts in center field and hits seventh for his major league debut on Tuesday against the Nationals. With Oklahoma City, Pages alternated between center and right, along with Drew Avans.

Roberts said Pages will also start Wednesday against right-hander Jake Irvin. With Jason Heyward expected to miss more time with lower back tightness, Pages will see regular time in the outfield.

"The impetus for this was Jason being down, and we just don't really know his timeline," Roberts said Tuesday. "It just gives Andy a runway. What that means, I don't know, but a couple of weeks is certainly fair. And I'll try to get him in there as much as we can to see what we have in him."

Trammell played sparingly in his two weeks with the Dodgers after getting claimed off waivers from the Mariners on April 2. The timing of the move corresponded with Heyward landing on the injured list, but the left-handed Trammell wasn't a one-to-one replacement for the left-handed Heyward.

Roberts said Tuesday part of the reason the Dodgers claimed Trammell was because they thought Heyward's IL stint would be a shorter one.

In 11 games on the active roster with the Dodgers, Trammell played in five games, going hitless in six at-bats with three strikeouts. Trammell only started once despite the Dodgers facing seven right-handed starting pitchers during that time.

Designating Trammell for assignment opened a spot on the 40-man roster for pitcher Eduardo Salazar, who was called up from Triple-A on Tuesday.