Pages an All-Star in just his 3rd season -- and the honor might be overdue

LOS ANGELES -- In the final weeks of the first half, Andy Pages did his best not to think too much about his All-Star candidacy.

That was one of many lessons learned from a breakout -- yet up-and-down -- 2025 season.

Last year, Pages was a finalist to win one of the three outfield spots in the starting lineup for the National League All-Stars. He was not elected by fans, and when the reserves and roster replacements were announced, his name was never called.

“I think it did affect me,” Pages said through interpreter Juan Dorado. “But obviously, coming into this year I’m trying to focus on the things that I can control, the things that I need to do, and kind of learn from what happened last year and put myself in a better spot this year.”

The disappointments Pages experienced in 2025 have stayed with him to fuel his '26 season, which saw him elected to the Midsummer Classic as part of the NL's starting outfield on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. The 25-year-old Pages may only be playing in his third big league season, but his Dodgers teammates believe that his first career All-Star nod has been a long time coming.

“It should be his second. I think he should have had it last year,” said Freddie Freeman, who will be in the NL's starting lineup alongside Pages at his 10th All-Star Game. "Andy has been great for a couple years now. So I’m glad he’s getting the recognition. I’m glad the fans are gonna get to see him in Philadelphia.”

Pages made great strides in 2025, hitting 27 homers -- more than any Dodger not named Shohei Ohtani -- and developing into a plus center fielder after his early-season defense sparked questions about his ability to stick at the position. But his strong regular-season performance did not carry into the postseason.

During the Dodgers' run to back-to-back championships, Pages faded at the plate. He recorded a .211 OPS -- the lowest on record in a single postseason (min. 50 plate appearances) -- which resulted in him being left out of the starting lineup in Games 5, 6 and 7 of the World Series (although he came off the bench to make a game-saving catch in the championship clincher).

Even though Pages came away from last year as a two-time World Series champion, it was a disappointing ending to what was by all other measures a breakout season. But Pages didn't wallow in his shortcomings; he got to work.

“Really, really a lot of motivation,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I think that you look back at last year when he didn't get to start [the last three World Series games], and the way he finished last year. Didn't make the All-Star team last year. So there was a lot of motivation coming into the season for him.”

Beginning in the offseason, Pages poured himself into working on his plate discipline. He hit off the Trajekt machine daily, intent on dialing in his approach when facing pitches with a lot of movement. From the very beginning of this season, his improvement was clear, with Roberts remarking that he had become a much more complete hitter.

Pages has not been immune to the ebbs and flows of baseball, but even with some regression since his red-hot start to 2026, he's emerged as one of the key bats in a loaded Dodgers lineup. And at last, an All-Star.

“This is one of those things that … you feel proud of all the work you've done,” Pages said in Spanish. “It's doing those little things that you think can make you better, keeping working and trying to do the best every day.”

Even once he was officially named an All-Star, Pages focused more on the work he put in than the accomplishment itself. In the past year and change, he has learned to control what he can control and be at peace with the things that are out of his hands.

Being an All-Star is special for Pages, but he knew that realizing that dream wouldn't happen by simply talking about it. His actions would speak louder than his words.

“It was the only thing I could do,” Pages said in Spanish. “I wanted to participate, but that wasn't in my control. I didn't want to put it out there until I knew it was for sure.”

Now that it's for sure, Pages can shift his focus to soaking in the entire All-Star experience in Philadelphia.