Joc Pederson might not remember the full trade package.

But the former Dodgers slugger won’t soon forget the first time he saw Andy Pages’ swing.

A couple of months ago, while watching a Dodgers spring training game, Pederson took immediate notice of Pages, the club’s top outfield prospect. Coming away so impressed, Pederson texted some old friends in the club’s front office.

“I said, ‘That’s different,’” recalled Pederson, now a designated hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks. “That was the first time I’d ever seen him. … It just looked right.”

What Pederson recently learned, much to his surprise, was that Pages was once almost traded by the Dodgers. Reportedly, in a deal that never materialized in 2020, Pages was slated to be part of a trade package that would have included Pederson, Ross Stripling, and a then-teenage Pages sent to the Angels.

Reflecting on this revelation, Pederson admitted, somewhat stunned, “I had no idea that kid was in the trade.”

Fast forward four years, and it’s a trade that never happened for the Dodgers, yet it keeps on yielding dividends.

Pages remained with the Dodgers organization after the proposed trade fell through, largely due to impatience from Angels owner Arte Moreno. Now, in his first MLB season, the 23-year-old is flourishing.

Since his call-up on April 16, Pages boasts an impressive batting average of .333 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. He’s riding a nine-game hitting streak, elevating his on-base-plus-slugging percentage to .921. His standout performance came recently against the Atlanta Braves, where he capped off a four-hit game with a walk-off single in the 11th inning.

Reflecting on his achievement, Pages expressed, “It was really special because I haven’t been here for that long and I was able to accomplish that.”

Manager Dave Roberts commended Pages’ resilience and talent, stating, “He wasn’t going to let anyone else win that game for us tonight.”

Pages’ journey with the Dodgers began when they signed the 6-foot-tall Cuban prospect for $300,000 in 2017. Known for his natural athleticism and powerful swing, Pages made an immediate impact, hitting 10 home runs in his first year of pro ball in the Dominican Republic. His impressive production continued in 2019, tallying 19 home runs and an OPS over 1.000 in rookie ball with the Dodgers’ affiliate in Ogden, Utah.

By then, Pages’ advanced mental approach — a trait just as signature as his pre-swing leg kick and bent-over posture at impact — was impressing Dodgers staff as much as anything.

“In one of the first conversations I had with him back in 2019, I asked him about his leg kick, and we started talking about Justin Turner,” Rhymes said, recalling how Pages compared his timing mechanism to that of the then-Dodgers star. “And he gave me this incredible breakdown of Justin Turner’s swing, how it functioned.”

Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run against the Mets.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

Rhymes’ takeaway?

“Wow, this guy thinks about [the game] at a different level than most 19-year-olds.”

In a loaded Dodgers farm system full of more seasoned prospects, Pages wasn’t always their biggest-name talent. In 2020, Baseball America ranked him as the No. 22 prospect in the organization. MLB Pipeline pegged him at No. 14.

It was then that Pages’ name surfaced in trade talks between the Angels and Dodgers — who, on the verge of acquiring Mookie Betts and David Price from the Boston Red Sox in February 2020, were trying to create some salary relief.

While the key pieces of the deal were Pederson and Stripling, Pages was also reported to be heading to Anaheim, in exchange for infielder Luis Rengifo and multiple Angels prospects.

For a week after the news surfaced Feb. 4, the move was believed to be all but official.

“I was going to [salary] arbitration,” Pederson recalled, “and we didn’t know what team was going to show.”

On Feb. 9, however, it all broke down in a strange series of events.

Initially, the Angels trade was held up while the Dodgers finalized Betts’ acquisition from the Red Sox.

In what started as a three-team transaction also involving Minnesota, Boston was supposed to get reliever Brusdar Graterol, but balked upon a review of his medical records. That forced the Dodgers, Red Sox and Twins to reconfigure the deal, with Graterol ultimately coming to Los Angeles and the Dodgers sending two other prospects — Jeter Downs and Connor Wong — to Boston instead.

While all that was worked out — the Dodgers-Angels trade was contingent on the Betts deal going through — Moreno, the Angels owner, started to grow frustrated.

And just as the Dodgers finally completed their blockbuster move for Betts, Moreno reportedly called off the Pederson/Stripling/Pages agreement, later confirming that, while there were other unspecified factors at play, the five-day delay had gnawed at his patience.

“It was a crappy feeling,” said Pederson, who helped the Dodgers win the World Series that season before leaving as a free agent. “But what are you gonna do?”

As Pages followed the situation, his emotions were similarly conflicted.

“It was really strange to see your name across the news,” Pages acknowledged.

“When the rumors were swirling,” Rhymes added, “he was pretty upset about it.”

The hurt feelings, though, didn’t last long. Pages continued his ascent up the minor league ladder, hitting 31 homers in high Class A in 2021, and 26 more in double A in 2022. The club’s player development staff expressed their excitement about his future.

“It gave us all a chance to renew our vows,” Rhymes said. “He’s always been in the plans to be a big piece of this thing.”

Pages’ rise wasn’t entirely linear.

At times, he got too “uphill” in his swing mechanics, Rhymes said, leaving Pages vulnerable to pitchers who attacked up in the strike zone. Despite his 57 home runs in 2021-2022, he batted just .250 with 272 strikeouts.

Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages makes a catch at the wall during a game against the Nationals.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Pages faced a setback last year when he suffered a serious shoulder injury, tearing his labrum in his first career triple-A game, which required season-ending surgery in June.

Despite the adversity, Pages displayed remarkable maturity in handling the situation. Dodgers director of player development, Will Rhymes, noted that Pages remained focused and determined, viewing the injury as an opportunity to further his development.

Following a successful recovery from surgery, Pages showcased his talent during Dodgers camp in the spring, impressing with his performance at the plate.

Even when he was optioned to minor league camp, Pages continued to demonstrate his work ethic and dedication by taking extra at-bats on a day when rest was suggested.

Understanding the challenges of breaking into the majors given the Dodgers’ talented roster, Pages remained focused on his goals. He got off to a scorching start in triple-A, batting .371 in 15 games.

With injuries and struggles among other players, the Dodgers seized the opportunity to call up Pages earlier than expected. Since his arrival, Pages has exceeded all expectations, ranking seventh in the National League in batting average and demonstrating his offensive prowess with 11 RBIs and only 13 strikeouts.

Manager Dave Roberts praised Pages for his performance, noting his ability to seize opportunities and create his own success.

While the abandoned trade with the Angels has been largely forgotten, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman highlighted the seamless transition Pages has made to the big leagues, focusing on his present success rather than dwelling on the past.

“We saw him make adjustments at the major league level his first week,” Friedman said. “Teams were beating up top with fastballs. And now he’s either clearing those out or at least fouling them off. He gets another pitch. He just competes in the box.”

Veteran teammates have echoed similar compliments.

“Today he showed that he’s made for the big moments,” Teoscar Hernández said in the wake of Pages’ walk-off hit Friday night. “He’s not afraid to go out there and have success.”

And when there was once a time it looked as if Pages never would don a Dodgers jersey, his electric start has him seemingly poised to stay with the club, as a key contributor in the outfield, for the long haul.

“I know how great this team is,” Pages said. “I always wanted to be a part of this.”