Once Struggling in April, Andy Pages Learns to Separate His Game and Rises to Stardom in Breakout Dodgers Season

In early April, Andy Pages walked into the Dodger Stadium clubhouse each day with the weight of expectation pressing on his shoulders. It was supposed to be a year of growth, one where the sophomore outfielder turned promise into production. Instead, the 23-year-old Cuban native found himself flailing — at pitches, at results, and worst of all, at understanding what was wrong.

“I was trying too hard to make everything perfect,” Pages said in a recent interview with Dodger Insider. “When I wasn’t hitting, I’d let it carry into the outfield. When I missed a play, it made my next at-bat worse. I didn’t know how to separate things.”

For a player whose game had been predicated on fluid athleticism and natural instincts, Pages was caught in a mental web of overcorrection. He hit just .186 through the first three weeks of the season with a .245 on-base percentage. Manager Dave Roberts called it “pressing,” while hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc described it as “mechanical confusion driven by emotional clutter.”

But then something changed. Pages didn’t overhaul his swing or embark on some radical training regimen. Instead, he learned to compartmentalize — to divide his game into its essential parts and approach each one with clarity. It was a subtle mental shift that brought dramatic results.

Since late April, Pages has been one of the most consistent performers in the Dodgers lineup, slashing .293/.358/.540 with 17 home runs and 49 RBIs over a 60-game stretch. Once a longshot for a full-time role, he’s now in serious consideration for his first All-Star appearance.

The Mental Breakthrough

The turning point came during a routine conversation with Dodgers mental skills coach Brent Walker. Pages had just come off an 0-for-4 game with two strikeouts and a misjudged fly ball in center field. He was frustrated and quiet, but Walker noticed something deeper — a player tying his identity to performance.

“I asked him, ‘Do you think Mookie [Betts] lets a groundout affect how he plays shortstop?’” Walker recalled. “That’s when the light went on. Andy realized he was carrying failure from one part of the game into the next.”

They started working on a technique known in sports psychology as “resetting.” Between innings or at-bats, Pages would step away from the dugout for a moment, tap the bill of his cap, and visualize a fresh start. It was his mental cue to wipe the slate clean.

“At first, it felt weird,” Pages said, laughing. “But then it started to work. I stopped chasing results and just focused on doing my job in the moment.”

The change was immediate. His swing, once rushed and tentative, became looser and more explosive. He began seeing the ball better, and his strikeout rate dropped significantly. More importantly, he stopped letting mistakes snowball.

“He’s become a pro,” said Roberts. “You watch him now, and he plays with this calm confidence. He knows bad games will happen, but they don’t define him anymore.”

Trusting the Process

Pages’ growth didn’t happen in a vacuum. He credits veteran teammates like Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward for modeling the kind of steady approach he wanted to emulate.

“Freddie told me, ‘Every day is a new chapter — don’t bring yesterday’s bad page into today,’” Pages recalled. “That stuck with me.”

He also spent hours in the video room with Van Scoyoc, reviewing his swing mechanics but focusing more on situational hitting — pitch selection, two-strike approach, and recognizing breaking balls. The mechanical tweaks were minor: a quieter load, slightly better posture, and a shorter stride. But the real breakthrough was timing.

“His swing is timed up now with his decision-making,” Van Scoyoc explained. “Before, he was guessing. Now he’s reacting.”

That translated into tangible production. Pages began punishing fastballs and laying off pitches he would have chased in April. His walk rate climbed, and his isolated power (.247) ranked among the top 10 in the National League over the last two months.

Defensively, he became a mainstay in center field, showcasing a plus arm, efficient routes, and improved positioning. No longer distracted by his offensive results, Pages took pride in preventing runs just as much as driving them in.

From Prospect to Potential All-Star

It’s a storybook rise for a player who signed with the Dodgers in 2017 as a teenager out of Havana and had to claw his way up the system while adjusting to a new country, language, and culture. Pages had always possessed raw tools — power, speed, a strong arm — but scouts questioned his consistency.

Now, he’s become one of the most dynamic two-way threats in the Dodgers lineup, drawing national attention and legitimate All-Star buzz.

“He’s one of the biggest reasons we’re in first place right now,” said Betts. “When Andy gets going, he changes games.”

Fans have taken notice, too. Pages has become a fixture in promotional graphics, a fan favorite for his exuberant smile and clutch moments. In a late-June game against the Braves, he homered twice and robbed Ronald Acuña Jr. of an extra-base hit in the same night. The stadium erupted. “That was the night I knew I belonged,” Pages said.

Still Growing

Despite the accolades and rising profile, Pages remains grounded. He still shows up early for early batting practice, still listens to salsa music on his AirPods in the locker room, and still practices his English with clubhouse staff.

“I’m proud of how far I’ve come,” he said. “But I want to keep getting better. This isn’t the finish line.”

His goals for the second half of the season are simple: keep trusting the process, keep being a good teammate, and help the Dodgers win. An All-Star nod would be a dream — one he admits would mean “everything” to him and his family — but he’s no longer chasing recognition.

“I’m just trying to play free,” Pages said. “When I do that, good things happen.”

A Star Emerges

In a season filled with injuries and uncertainty, Andy Pages has been a revelation. He’s gone from a slumping sophomore to a potential All-Star by mastering not just the game of baseball, but the mental game within it.

The Dodgers believed in his potential. Now, the rest of baseball is starting to believe, too.

As the midsummer classic approaches and fan votes pour in, one thing is certain: Andy Pages isn’t just becoming a star — he’s becoming himself.

“This is who I am,” he said, smiling as he buttoned his jersey before a night game at Chavez Ravine. “I’m Andy.”