Sports
Once almost traded to the Angels, Andy Pages is the Dodgers' newest rookie star
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 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 the designated hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks. “That was the first time I’d ever seen him. … It just looked right.”
What Pederson didn’t realize then, and was only reminded of recently: Pages was once almost traded by the Dodgers, reportedly part of a nixed 2020 deal that would have sent Pederson, Ross Stripling and a then-teenage Pages to the Angels.
“I had no idea,” Pederson said, somewhat stunned, “that kid was in the trade.”
Four years later, it’s a trade that never happened for the Dodgers that just keeps on giving.
Pages not only stayed with the organization after the trade fell apart — the result, largely, of impatience from Angels owner Arte Moreno — but is now blossoming in his first MLB season
Since being called up on April 16, the 23-year-old is batting .333 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. He has a nine-game hitting streak that has raised his on-base-plus-slugging percentage to .921. He produced his best performance yet on Friday, punctuating a four-hit game against the Atlanta Braves with an 11th-inning walk-off single.
“It was really special because I haven’t been here for that long and I was able to accomplish that,” Pages said through an interpreter postgame.
“He wasn’t going to let anyone else win that game for us tonight,” manager Dave Roberts added. “We trusted [his] head, trusted the talent, and, obviously, he just rose to the occasion.”
That has been the story of Pages’ journey, starting from when the Dodgers signed the six-foot-tall Cuban prospect for $300,000 in 2017.
Always known for his natural athleticism and powerful swing, Pages hit 10 home runs in his first year of pro ball at the club’s complex in the Dominican Republic — “which, in those parks, and at that time,” Dodgers director of player development Will Rhymes recalled, “was pretty unique.” Pages’ production only improved in 2019, when he had 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 Class AA 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)
Last year, Pages suffered a serious shoulder injury, when a torn labrum in his first career triple A game required season-ending surgery in June.
“It was a tough blow, but from the moment it happened, he handled it extremely maturely,” Rhymes said. “He was on a mission before the injury. And if anything, the injury just put on more of one.”
Once fully recovered from the procedure, Pages was a standout performer in Dodgers camp this spring, going eight for 17 with two home runs and nine RBIs.
The day he was optioned, Rhymes said, was equally telling. Pages, who has developed into a plus center fielder defensively, went to minor-league camp and took 10 live at-bats on a day coaches suggested he take off.
“I knew going into the season how difficult it was going to be [to crack the majors] with so many talented players on the roster, so many superstars,” Pages said. “I knew how much work was ahead of me.”
That translated to a blistering start to the regular season in triple A, with Pages batting .371 in 15 games.
And between Jason Heyward’s back injury and James Outman’s early-season struggles, the Dodgers saw the opportunity to give Pages an early call-up.
His performance in the three weeks since have surpassed all expectations. Pages has ranked seventh in the National League in batting average since his arrival, and has almost as many RBIs (11) as strikeouts (13).
“He’s checking a lot of boxes,” Roberts said. “He’s creating his own opportunities.”
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman hasn’t lately indulged in recollections about the abandoned Angels trade.
“Not much,” he said when asked how often he has thought about it amid Pages’ rise.
Instead, he noted the seamlessness of Pages’ big-league transition.
“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 like 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.”
Sports
Former NFL player Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after accident on his ranch
Two-time All-American wide receiver and prominent Outdoors Channel host Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after an accident on his ranch in Texas, his family said in a statement.
Shipley, 40, was described as stable after remaining hospitalized Tuesday night in Austin. The statement said a machine that he was operating near his hometown of Burnet caught fire. The former Texas great suffered “severe burns on his body.”
Shipley abruptly retired in 2012 after three NFL seasons primarily because of persistent concussion issues and chronic knee problems. He quickly transitioned to television shows that showcased his passion for deer hunting, co-hosting “The Bucks of Tecomate” and “Tecomate Whitetail Nation.”
“It was not hard at all,” Shipley said at the time of retiring at 27. “Only because I never saw myself as a football player first. Don’t get me wrong, I worked my tail off for football and I loved it but never saw that as my whole identity because I had such a big background in outdoors. Really, with this opportunity I had I was actually pretty excited about moving forward.”
Although he enjoyed a strong rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010 with 52 receptions for 600 yards and three touchdowns, he is best remembered as a record-setting player at Texas.
Shipley starred as a receiver and a kick returner from 2006 to 2009, setting program single-season records in 2009 with 116 receptions and 1,489 yards. He also remains the career leader for receptions with 248 and ranks second in career receiving yards with 3,191, behind Roy Williams. Shipley also returned four punts or kickoffs for touchdowns.
After being drafted in the third round by the Bengals, he became one of the most popular players with Cincinnati fans, and his No. 11 jersey was worn by thousands. After a debilitating knee injury early in the 2011 season, he was never the same player, and he had short stints with Tampa Bay and Jacksonville before retiring.
According to his family, Jordan was operating a machine at his ranch when it caught fire. He managed to free himself from the machine, but “not before sustaining severe burns on his body in the process.” Jordan was airlifted to the hospital in Austin.
“He was able to get to one of his workers on the ranch, who drove him to a local hospital. He was then care-flighted to Austin, where he remains in critical but stable condition,” the statement said.
Shipley’s younger brother, former Texas wide receiver Jaxon Shipley, 33, asked for prayers in a statement on Instagram: “Please pray for full healing and no infections or other issues on his road to recovery. I don’t want to get into all the details, other than his life was spared today by the grace of God and the sheer will to live. I believe prayer is effective so I’m asking anyone and everyone to lift Jordan up in prayer.”
Sports
Tom Izzo explodes on former Michigan State player in wild scene: ‘What the f— are you doing?’
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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has been known to get visibly angry with his players over his years in East Lansing, but what happened Monday night against USC was different.
Izzo let loose his frustration on a former player.
During the Spartans’ blowout over the Trojans, 80-51, Izzo was spotted unloading on former Michigan State center Paul Davis, who played for the team from 2002-06, after he caused a disturbance in the stands.
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Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a call during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena Jan. 2, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb. (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
Referees pointed out Davis, who was a spectator, from his courtside seat after he was among many in the building who disagreed with a call in the second half. Davis stood up and shouted at referee Jeffrey Anderson.
Anderson responded with a loud whistle, stopping play and pointing at Davis. Then, Anderson went over to Izzo to explain what happened, and the 70-year-old coach went ballistic.
2026 MEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT PROJECTIONS: NEBRASKA’S RISE CONTINUES, NOW A NO. 2 SEED
First, he was motioning toward Davis, and it was clear he asked his former center, “What the f— are you doing?”
Davis was met by someone asking him to leave his seat, and that’s when Izzo went nuts. He shouted “Get out of here!” at Davis, who appeared to gesture toward Izzo, perhaps in apology for disturbing the game.
Izzo was asked about Davis’ ejection after the game.
“What he said, he should never say anywhere in the world,” Izzo responded when asked what happened. “That ticked me off. So, just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. And you know what he’ll say? ‘I screwed up, coach. I’m sorry.’”
Izzo quickly clarified that what Davis said “wasn’t something racial” and “it wasn’t something sexual.”
Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo protests a call that benefited the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center Dec. 2, 2025. (Dale Young/Imagn Images)
“It was just the wrong thing to say, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Davis later met with reporters Tuesday, apologizing for his actions.
“I’m not up here to make any excuses. I’m up here to take accountability, to own it,” Davis said. It was a mistake that will never happen again. It was a mistake that’s not me, but, unfortunately, last night it was.”
Izzo said Davis was one of his “favorite guys” during his time playing for the Spartans. He had a breakout sophomore campaign with 15.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and two assists per game in 30 starts for Izzo during the 2003-04 season.
Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena Jan. 2, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb. (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
In his senior year, Davis averaged 17.5 points, a career-high, in 33 games.
He was taken in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Davis played just four seasons in the league, his final one with the Washington Wizards.
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Sports
Problems continue to mount for UCLA men in loss to Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. — Can a team be in crisis just a handful of games into conference play?
UCLA is testing that possibility given what happened here Tuesday night as part of a larger downward trend.
Lacking one of their top players with guard Skyy Clark sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Bruins also were deficient in many other areas.
Defense. Heart. Toughness. Cohesion. Intelligence.
In a game that the Bruins needed to win to get their season back on track and have any realistic chance at an elite finish in the Big Ten, they fell flat once more.
Another terrible first half led to another failed comeback for UCLA during an 80-72 loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday night at the Kohl Center, leaving the Bruins in search of answers that seem elusive.
There was a dustup with 10 seconds left when UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr. pushed Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter after absorbing a hard foul, forcing a scrum of players to congregate along the baseline. Winter was assessed a flagrant-1 foul and Dailey a technical foul that was offset by a technical foul on Badgers guard Nick Boyd.
About the only thing to celebrate for the Bruins was not giving up.
Thanks to a flurry of baskets from Dailey and a three-pointer from Trent Perry that broke his team’s 0-for-14 start from long range, UCLA pulled to within 63-56 midway through the second half. Making the Bruins’ rally all the more improbable was that much of it came with leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau on the bench with four fouls.
But Wisconsin countered with five consecutive points and the Bruins (10-5 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) never mounted another threat on the way to a second consecutive loss.
Dailey scored 18 points but missed all five of his three-pointers, fitting for a team that made just one of 17 shots (5.9%) from long range. Bilodeau added 16 points and Perry had 15.
Boyd scored 20 points to lead the Badgers (10-5, 2-2), who won in large part by their volume of three-pointers, making 10 of 30 attempts (33.3%) from beyond the arc.
Unveiling a turnover-choked, defensively challenged performance, UCLA played as if it were trying to top its awful first-half showing against Iowa from three days earlier.
It didn’t help that the Bruins were shorthanded from tipoff.
With Clark unavailable, UCLA coach Mick Cronin turned to Perry and pivoted to a smaller lineup featuring forward Brandon Williams alongside Bilodeau as the big men.
For the opening 10 minutes, it felt like a repeat of Wisconsin’s blowout victory over UCLA during the Big Ten tournament last March. The Badgers made seven of 11 three-pointers on the way to building a 20-point lead midway through the first half as Cronin continually tinkered with his lineup, trying to find a winning combination.
It never came.
He tried backup center Steven Jamerson II for a little more than a minute before yanking him after Jamerson committed a foul. He put in backup guard Jamar Brown and took him out after Brown gave up a basket and fumbled a pass out of bounds for a turnover. Backup guard Eric Freeny got his chance as well and airballed a three-pointer.
Wisconsin surged ahead with an early 13-0 run and nearly matched it with a separate 11-0 push. The Bruins then lost Perry for the rest of the first half after he hit his chin while diving for a loose ball, pounding the court in frustration with a balled fist before holding a towel firmly against his injured chin during a timeout. (He returned in the second half with a heavy bandage.)
Just when it seemed as if things couldn’t get worse, they did. Williams limped off the court with cramps late in the first half and the Bruins failed to box out Wisconsin’s Andrew Rohde on two possessions, leading to a putback and two free throws after he was fouled on another putback attempt.
UCLA almost seemed fortunate to be down only 45-31 by the game’s midpoint, though being on pace to give up 90 points couldn’t have pleased a coach known for defense.
Another comeback that came up short didn’t make things any better.
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