Dodgers Andy Pages Faces Family Separation Amid World Series Dreams

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Dodgers are preparing for the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, but for outfielder Andy Pages, the excitement is overshadowed by family separation. Pages, 24, is facing the heartbreaking reality that his family in Cuba will likely miss the games due to ongoing political restrictions.

The distance between Pages’ hometown in Mantua, Cuba, and Florida‘s southern tip is only 90 miles across the sea, yet political tensions have made it nearly impossible for his parents and sister to witness him compete. Instead of attending the games, they may have to rely on Cuban television or spotty internet connections to catch the action.

“Or radio,” Pages said, acknowledging the limited options available to his family to follow his career.

Pages has already celebrated one World Series victory and is playing in his second consecutive postseason. During the regular season, he hit 27 home runs and showed up in the top ranks of various offensive categories for the Dodgers. Despite his success, only his wife, Alondra, has seen him play in person.

“There are times we can’t [call] because the power is out or something,” Pages explained in Spanish. “Obviously, it’s hard. But we’ve learned to live with it.”

Growing up in Pinar del Rio, Pages first became a baseball star using bats made from scrap wood crafted by his father, Liban. He stood out as a top prospect at just 15 years old before making a daring escape from Cuba, which included a treacherous journey through countries such as Guyana and Haiti before signing with the Dodgers in March 2018.

The signing rewarded him with a $300,000 bonus, a staggering amount compared to Cuba’s average annual wage. However, it came with a heavy heart as Pages lost precious time with his family due to strict traveling rules for Cuban citizens.

In a rare return home in 2023, he reunited with his family after seven years apart. But the ongoing political landscape remains a barrier for many athletes, including fellow Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, whose family is also in Venezuela. Rojas has echoed Pages’ sentiments, speaking about the difficulties of being away from loved ones while pursuing their professional careers.

<p“As players, we signed up for this,” Rojas said, his emotions evident. “But it doesn't make it any easier.”

As the Dodgers aim for their second World Series title in a row, Pages and Rojas carry their families’ support from afar, continuing to shine on the field while navigating the pain of separation.