Dodger Details: throwing depth isn’t getting deep, and Andy Pages is rediscovering his swing

The Los Angeles Dodgers have long prided themselves on organizational depth, elite player development, and the ability to patch up holes before they grow into full-blown problems. But through the first stretch of the 2025 MLB season, two emerging storylines have created contrasting headlines for the World Series hopefuls: a thinning pitching staff and a resurging bat in the outfield. The Dodgers may not be getting deeper on the mound, but Andy Pages is rediscovering his swing—and that could be just as vital in the long run.

A Fragile Foundation on the Mound

When the Dodgers reported to Camelback Ranch for spring training, optimism ran high. With a mix of veteran arms and young talent expected to eat innings and anchor a rotation behind new ace Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles looked locked and loaded. But as April presses on, injuries, inconsistency, and a lack of reliable options have begun to chip away at that stability.

It started with the delayed return of Walker Buehler, who continues to ramp up from Tommy John surgery but hasn’t yet taken the mound in a regular-season game. Though there’s optimism around his eventual return, the timeline remains fuzzy. Then came the more pressing concerns—Bobby Miller, expected to take a major step forward in 2025, was placed on the injured list with shoulder discomfort just weeks into the season. Emmet Sheehan, another breakout candidate, also found himself shelved with forearm tightness.

The rotation, once viewed as a strength, has become a weekly shuffle. Glasnow has been steady in his new role atop the staff, but beyond him, the Dodgers have leaned on Ryan Yarbrough, Gavin Stone, and Michael Grove—none of whom inspire long-term confidence in a playoff run. Yarbrough can soak up innings, sure, but he lacks swing-and-miss stuff and is better suited for a bullpen swingman role. Stone has shown flashes of brilliance but still struggles with command. Grove’s inconsistency has become the norm.

The bullpen, while featuring some high-leverage studs like Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol, is being tested early. With starters failing to go deep into games, the relief corps is picking up more than their fair share of innings—never an ideal situation this early in the grind of a 162-game campaign.

Thin Options at the Next Level

Normally, the Dodgers could reach into their minor league ranks to plug in promising arms. But this year, the well appears drier than usual.

Top prospects like Nick Frasso and River Ryan are either dealing with injuries or being brought along cautiously. Landon Knack, once viewed as a polished arm who could contribute soon, hasn’t quite taken the leap at Triple-A Oklahoma City. With the system thin on near-MLB-ready pitching, any further injuries to the big-league staff could put serious strain on the organization.

That’s not to say the Dodgers won’t make moves—Andrew Friedman is famous for striking at the right time—but for now, the rotation is being held together by duct tape and Glasnow’s curveball.

Andy Pages: Power Restored

If there’s a silver lining to the early-season turbulence, it’s the return of Andy Pages.

Once a heralded power prospect in the Dodgers’ farm system, Pages burst onto the scene in the minors with his eye-popping exit velocities and majestic home runs. But injuries and inconsistency stunted his development. A torn labrum in 2023 cost him valuable time, and 2024 was about finding his rhythm again.

Now, in 2025, it appears the Cuban outfielder has turned the corner.

Through the first three weeks of the season, Pages has delivered a much-needed jolt to the Dodgers’ offense. He’s slugging over .500, showcasing the same thunderous bat that made him a fan favorite in spring training. More importantly, he’s cut down on his strikeouts—a key flaw in his game that once threatened to keep him in the minors for good.

“He’s hunting pitches with a plan now,” said hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc. “Before, he was reacting. Now, he’s anticipating—and that’s a huge shift for a guy with his kind of raw talent.”

Pages’ early season stat line includes five home runs, a dozen RBIs, and a handful of walks that indicate improved plate discipline. While still susceptible to high heat and sharp breaking balls, he’s doing damage on pitches in the zone and capitalizing on mistakes.

A Reshaped Outfield Picture

With Mookie Betts transitioning into more infield work, and Jason Heyward starting the season slowly, Pages has earned regular starts in right field. James Outman remains a core piece in center, and Teoscar Hernández provides pop in left, but Pages’ emergence gives Dave Roberts new flexibility—and potentially, a long-term piece in the outfield puzzle.

“It’s been fun to watch,” said Roberts. “Andy’s working his tail off, and you can see the confidence building every day.”

His arm strength, which once rated among the best in the system, remains intact. Defensively, he’s been solid if not spectacular, and the advanced metrics like his route efficiency and range factor have shown improvement.

For a team that’s often linked to trade rumors—especially for elite outfielders like Juan Soto or Luis Robert Jr.—Pages playing at this level could shift the calculus. If he maintains this trajectory, the Dodgers might not need to shop for a bat in July. They might already have one.

Veteran Bats Can’t Carry It All

While Pages is heating up, the same can’t be said for some of the more established bats in the lineup. Max Muncy is off to another slow start, and Chris Taylor’s struggles from 2024 have carried over. Will Smith and Freddie Freeman remain consistent, but the lineup has looked top-heavy on multiple nights.

Shohei Ohtani, of course, has been electric at the plate—even if his pitching return is a year away. His presence in the lineup has helped create more spacing for hitters like Pages and Hernández, but there’s only so much weight Ohtani, Freeman, and Betts can carry. That’s why Pages’ development is so critical.

If he can be a true middle-of-the-order threat—and the early returns are promising—the Dodgers will be able to weather slumps and withstand the inevitable injuries that come with a long season.

Trade Deadline Implications

All of this leads to the elephant in the room: will the Dodgers need to make a big move by the trade deadline?

If the rotation continues to waver and Buehler’s return doesn’t come with the desired results, Friedman may be forced to act. Names like Shane Bieber, Dylan Cease, and Jesús Luzardo have been floated in speculation. But prices will be steep, and the Dodgers may be reluctant to dip further into their farm system after recent offseason acquisitions and promotions.

On the flip side, if Pages continues producing, he could save the team from needing to hunt for an expensive outfield upgrade. That in turn allows Friedman to focus solely on the rotation without compromising other assets.

Organizational Patience Pays Off

Perhaps the most impressive part of Pages’ breakout is that it never felt forced. The Dodgers didn’t rush him back from injury. They didn’t promote him prematurely. They let him take the necessary time in Double-A and Triple-A to work through his swing mechanics and regain confidence.

That’s a credit to the Dodgers’ development infrastructure. From Latin American scouting to minor league coaching, they believed in Pages’ ceiling even as his prospect stock dipped.

“It’s always been there,” said Van Scoyoc. “It was just about unlocking it again.”

Now, with the lights bright and the pressure mounting, Pages is showing the kind of polish that makes evaluators believe he could be a staple in the Dodgers’ lineup for years to come.

 A Team at a Crossroads

It’s early. There’s a long season ahead. But the Dodgers’ dual narrative of thinning pitching and a resurgent outfielder tells a bigger story about the nature of championship contenders.

Depth is tested not just by injuries but by the ability to develop and adapt. The Dodgers are feeling the pinch on the mound, and without a clearer picture of Buehler’s timeline or Miller’s health, concerns will linger. But they’ve also found light in Pages—a player who, if he keeps this up, could anchor the next generation of Dodgers stars.

For now, the road forward is murky on the pitching side and electric in the batter’s box. But as long as Andy Pages keeps barreling baseballs and the front office stays aggressive, the Dodgers remain squarely in the World Series conversation.

Even if the throwing depth isn’t getting deeper, the bats—and Pages in particular—might just carry them far enough until reinforcements arrive.