Dodgers to Call Up Thomas in Wake of Pages' Broken Hand Diagnosis

In the midst of a four-game winning streak, the Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a mighty blow to their offense. All-Star center fielder Andy Pages broke his hand after being plunked by a 100 mph pitch by Pittsburgh Pirates starter Bubba Chandler in the third inning on Friday night. 

After the series-opening victory against the Pirates, manager Dave Roberts said X-rays showed a fracture in his hand and that he is expected to miss 4-5 weeks. 

In the wake of the news, the Dodgers are going to call up former Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas to take his spot commanding the outfield, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic

With the call-up, the 26-year-old Thomas will make his Dodgers debut with very hefty responsibilities. Though at the time, Roberts and Co. did not have an answer to a viable suitor to replace Pages, the Dodgers skipper emphasized that proficiency in defense. was the main priority.

Thomas makes that cut without question, and the Dodgers would have preferred to recall someone on their 40-man roster who has the extensive background in center rather than a continuous swap for the spot.

A former second-round pick in the 2018 MLB Amateur Draft, Thomas has five years of playing time in the majors, with the majority of those years playing in the desert. 

He joined the Dodgers in early May via a trade after being designated for assignment by Arizona and has been down in Triple-A Oklahoma City. Thomas was officially inserted into the Dodgers' 40-man roster after Michael Siani was designated for assignment to make space. 

The trade gave Arizona financial stability, and it gives the Dodgers yet additional depth for their outfield. Now, they'll put that to the test by giving Thomas valuable reps for a World Series contender. 

Plus, Thomas has turned a bit of the tide in terms of his performance on the field and in the batter's box. 

In 55 games for the Comets, Thomas has established a .296 batting average, paired with an OPS that eclipses .800 (.855), plus all 28 of his starts have been manning center field. 

Now, with Thomas in the mix, the Dodgers are also grateful that they have a left-handed bat coming out of the box. He will likely be paired up with Hernández and Tommy Edman, depending on the pitching matchup. 

The Dodgers have a chance to earn a series win on Saturday against the Pirates with Tarik Skubal taking the mound, before a road trip gauntlet that includes the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers to cap off the month.