Andy Pages (hand) hitting off pitching machine

The Dodgers are home from Friday through next Wednesday, so Pages could be activated at any time during that stretch. The season ends for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, so if Pages is coming back without playing in rehab games, our best guess is that he returns early next week. Considering the 25-year-old fractured his hand on August 21st and will not have any rehab games before returning, it’s going to be tough to trust him in fantasy leagues for the final week of the season.

Pages has progressed to hitting off a batting tee for the last two days. The 25-year-old fantasy standout is attempting to make it back to Los Angeles’ lineup in time for the postseason after undergoing surgery to repair a left hand fracture in late August. There’s no reason for fantasy managers to hang onto him with less than three weeks left in the season.

Pages is going to need at least a couple weeks before he’s ready to return to Los Angeles’ lineup after undergoing surgery to repair a left hand fracture in late August. The widely-held expectation is that he’ll be ready for the start of the postseason. He can be safely dropped in all redraft fantasy formats.

There’s still no clear timeline for his potential return to action, but it’s encouraging to hear that the procedure was minor. As long as the Dodgers have him back in time for the postseason, they’re not going to rush his rehab.

Pages can be dropped in nearly all redraft fantasy leagues as he’s expected to miss 4-5 weeks after suffering the injury when he was hit by a pitch during Friday’s game against the Pirates. The 25-year-old was in the midst of a stellar campaign where he was delivering second-round fantasy value, hitting .272/.338/.458 with 72 runs scored, 21 homers, 80 RBI and 12 steals in 550 plate appearances. It sounds like there’s a chance he’s back at the end of the regular season and should be ready to roll by the time the Dodgers kick off the postseason. It’ll be a combination of Alek Thomas, Tommy Edman and Enrique Hernández taking over in center field during his absence.

Thomas isn’t the most exciting option from a pure fantasy perspective, but he makes the most sense as a short-term stopgap for the Dodgers with Andy Pages set to miss 4-5 weeks with a fractured hand. The 26-year-old defensive specialist is an excellent defender in center field and is already on the 40-man roster. He’ll split time with Tommy Edman and Enrique Hernández for the next couple weeks. There’s a chance that a top prospect like Josue De Paula, Mike Sirota or James Tibbs III get a look once rosters expand, but that seems unlikely at this juncture.

Pages underwent X-rays that revealed the fracture after being hit by a pitch during the early stages of Friday’s game against the Pirates. Roberts didn’t say how the Dodgers intend to replace Pages, but former Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas, who is already on the 40-man roster, seems like the obvious choice. He could come up and play against most righties, with Tommy Edman moving to center against lefties. That would free up some infield time for Enrique Hernández and Miguel Rojas. There’s an extremely small, but non-zerp possibility that the Dodgers bring up one of their top outfield prospects like Josue De Paula, Mike Sirota, or James Tibbs III.

Pages said the pitch hit him on the outside of his left hand, just below his pinkie finger. If he needs to miss some time, the Dodgers could call up Alek Thomas to share time with Tommy Edman in center. Top prospect Josue DePaula is strictly a corner outfielder and probably wouldn’t be viewed as a potential option here.

Pages scored the Dodgers’ first run on Mookie Betts’ first-inning single and later broke a 1-1 tie with the homer in the fifth. It’s his second straight 20-homer season, as he finished with 27 last year. He’s not a sure thing to surpass that total this year, but he is going to cruise past his mark of 86 RBI from last year; he’s tied for ninth in the majors with 77 right now.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is shaking things up by moving Freddie Freeman up to the second spot in the order with Andy Pages following and Tucker in the cleanup spot. Max Muncy and Mookie Betts remain in the middle of the lineup with Teoscar Hernández on the bench.