The Dodgers have a decision to make on Andy Pages, and the timing is no accident. After a 2026 season that turned him into an All-Star and one of the most complete players on the roster, Pages has pushed himself into extension territory just as he’s reaching arbitration for the first time.
Pages’ regular season was the kind that changes the conversation. He came out scorching, hit at the top of the lineup, and gave the Dodgers production they could bank on early.
The bat leveled off as the year went on, but it never fell apart; instead, it settled into above-average territory while his glove stayed sharp from start to finish. That defense was strong enough to earn him a Gold Glove nomination.
He wrapped the year with a .274/.343/.468 line, 4.5 fWAR, 15 offensive rating points above average, and 10.3 defensive rating points above average. By any measure, it was his best season yet, and the stability he showed made it more convincing than what he put together in 2025.
The postseason only strengthened the case that Pages is becoming a real two-way force. He went 7-for-26 with two walks and four RBIs, and he was one of the few Dodgers who consistently brought runners home with men on base.
His improved pitch recognition, plate discipline, and vision - all areas that took a step forward during the regular season - showed up under October pressure. He also quieted the growing belief that he would struggle in the postseason.
Now the focus shifts to the front office. Pages is 25, one of the youngest players on an otherwise older Dodgers team, and his value goes beyond the bat. His range and speed in center field give Los Angeles a way to cover some of the weaknesses elsewhere in the outfield.
That matters because his price tag is only going up. Pages has unlocked Super Two arbitration, which gives him four years of arbitration instead of the standard three.
MLB Trade Rumors projects him to make $4.9 million in 2027 alone, and that number is only the beginning. If the Dodgers wait, they’ll be paying for a player whose value has already started climbing and will keep rising as long as he keeps producing like this.
An extension could let the Dodgers control that cost before it gets out of hand, potentially buying out all four arbitration years and even some free-agent seasons. They’ve done this before. Will Smith signed his 10-year, $140 million deal during his second arbitration year, with the Dodgers buying out two arbitration years and eight free-agent years.
Pages would be a different kind of case, but the logic is familiar. He has three arbitration years ahead of him, and he’d hit free agency at 29, right in his physical prime, as an outfielder with contact skills and dependable defense. That combination won’t come cheap.
Pete Crow-Armstrong offers another useful benchmark. He signed a six-year, $115 million contract this year that covered all four arbitration years and two free-agent years, though it came before his MVP-caliber season, which would have pushed the price higher.
There’s still uncertainty around the salary cap and the next collective bargaining agreement, but the basic math on Pages is clear. If the Dodgers believe this version of him is real, locking him up now could be the smartest move they make all winter.
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For the Dodgers, it is another sign that the catching picture is crowded and that there was little room for a return trip. Rortvedt is now expected to look for his next opportunity elsewhere heading into the coming season, while Los Angeles moves forward with multiple catchers already on its 40-man roster. [Read more 🡒]
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Dodgers Prospects Are Giving Fans An Early Look At Two Intriguing Arms
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Among them, Sam Horn has made a strong first impression in his professional debut, piling up five strikeouts in four innings, and Brooks Auger has followed with a second start that included three strikeouts over two frames despite allowing two runs. Keith Law of The Athletic offered scouting observations on both pitchers, adding another layer of intrigue to what the Dodgers are learning in the desert as the fall schedule continues. [Read more 🡒]