Dodgers News: Andy Pages Opts Out of 2026 World Baseball Classic
Pages says he’ll prioritize his club season over international play
LOS ANGELES, CA—While it may be hard to believe, the 2026 Major League Baseball season is less than three weeks away, with multiple teams expected to head to their respective camps in the second week of February.
However, it’ll be more than just an ordinary spring training across the sport, as the 2026 World Baseball Classic will begin soon after teams report to camp in Florida and Arizona and run through March.
The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will be well represented during the international tournament, with Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith headlining their respective countries.
However, as spring draws near, one player within the Dodgers organization has opted out of the tournament: outfielder Andy Pages.
Pages, 25, was listed on Team Cuba’s preliminary roster for the upcoming WBC and was eligible to join if he decided to do so. Still, the center fielder and two-time World Series champion has decided to focus on his Major League club this spring instead, according to Yordano Carmona of Pelota Cubana USA.
Pages made a promising advance in his second Major League season and appears to be a key part of the Dodgers’ young core moving forward.
The second-year Pages enhanced his 2024 season performance in several key offensive categories, batting .272/.313/.461 with 27 doubles, 27 home runs, and 86 RBIs, resulting in a 113 wRC+. His 27 homers ranked ninth in the Majors among players age 25 or younger.
However, Pages did not finish the season strongly. He faced significant difficulties in the playoffs, batting just .078/.113/.098 over 51 at-bats, forcing Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to bench him during the Fall Classic.
Still, Pages was able to make his mark in Game Seven of the World Series, making a game-saving catch in a collision with left fielder Kiké Hernández.
With the signing of Kyle Tucker and the team likely keeping veteran outfielder Teoscar Hernández, despite him being surrounded in trade rumors, Pages figures to yet again be the Dodgers ’ everyday center fielder.
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