Andy Pages has emerged as a significant player for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, quietly making his mark with impressive statistics. He currently holds the second-highest number of home runs on the team, trailing only Shohei Ohtani. Additionally, Pages ranks among the top four Dodgers for RBI, batting average, stolen bases, and total bases, highlighting his all-around contribution to the team’s success.
However, Pages’ journey is marked by a personal sacrifice that distinguishes him from many of his peers. His family remains in Cuba, and the prevailing travel restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba create an almost insurmountable barrier for them to watch him play live. Since Pages defected from Cuba, he has faced the harsh reality of limited family visits, having only returned once since making it to Major League Baseball in 2023.
“It’s hard,” Pages shared with Kevin Baxter from the Los Angeles Times. “But we’ve learned to live with it because we’ve been like this for a long time.” This sentiment resonates with other players, such as Miguel Rojas, who identifies with Pages’ struggle, as he faces similar challenges with family in Venezuela. “We are professional baseball players,” Rojas explained. “We want to kind of follow our dream, and I’m pretty sure his family’s dream was for [Pages] to play in the big leagues.”
Despite the emotional toll, Pages finds motivation in his circumstances, aiming to make his family proud through his achievements on the field. “We have to keep going, and we’re going to make them proud, right?” he stated.
In a broader context, the Dodgers have navigated a tumultuous season filled with injuries but have managed to restore a fully healthy rotation just in time for the World Series. MLB.com’s Manny Randhawa analyzes the performances of key pitchers like Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow as they prepare for the championship series.
As the excitement builds around the Dodgers’ World Series prospects, CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson has put forth some bold predictions, hinting at wild scenarios that could unfold, including high-scoring games. Meanwhile, amidst criticisms regarding the Dodgers’ financial power, Gabe Lacques of USA Today emphasizes that building the team has required more than capital—it has involved strategic trades, the nurturing of homegrown talent, and a commitment to developing players.
As the season approaches its climax, the story of Andy Pages serves as a reminder of the sacrifices athletes make and the dreams they fulfill, not only for themselves but on behalf of their families back home.