On the day he signed as a professional baseball player in 2015, Isaac Pardes’ grandma, Gloria, dug up an old photo she had of his grandson as a toddler.

Little Isaac was in a full Cubs uniform and now he was joining that team as a professional.

“That photo was a coincidence, honestly,” Paredes said.

He dreamt of one day wearing a Cubs uniform — as a member of the major-league club. But that wish seemed to disappear two years later, when he was traded with Jeimer Candelario to Detroit for Alex Avila and Justin Wilson.

From there, Paredes’ career was typical of a young player.

He made his debut in the shortened 2020 campaign, played sparingly in 2021 and amassed a .215/.290/.302 slash line with 2 home runs in 57 games in the big leagues. He was again traded, this time to Tampa Bay early in the 2022 season.

There, Paredes found a home. He thrived with the Rays, developing into an All-Star third baseman who garnered MVP votes last season. Paredes created bonds with players as they racked up wins and playoff appearances.

But the way Tampa Bay operates meant 2024 wasn’t going to roses and sunshine for Paredes. The Rays are known for operating on tight payrolls and often ship away players during their arbitration years — maximizing players’ outputs while keeping salaries low. This season was Paredes’ first through the arbitration system and the clock — albeit a long one — was ticking on his time till free agency. His salary for the 2024 season sits at $3.4 million and is only expected to go up over the next few years.

That meant Paredes’ name was swirling around the trade rumor mill — a difficult thing for a player to hear. Paredes loved Tampa Bay and the uncertainty of what could happen weighed on him as July 30 approached.

“It was difficult,” Paredes admitted. “You think they’re going to trade you [and] especially now with social media, you can see everything there.”

The Rays decided to cash in.

Not long after the Rays’ 2-1 win over the Reds on Sunday in Tampa Bay, Paredes was informed he was being dealt to the Cubs for Christopher Morel and minor leaguers Ty Johnson and Hunter Bigge.

Paredes was crushed. He had established himself in Tampa Bay and formed friendships and was now being shipped away. He cried and was consoled by bench coach Rodney Linares. It was a similar situation to Morel, who was emotional after he found out and was consoled by assistant hitting coach Juan “Pipi” Cabreja.

“It was very emotional because, well, you have to say bye to your teammates,” Paredes said. Teammates that I spent three years with.”

“You feel like you’re at home there.”

After some time, the emotions settled and Paredes let it sink in — he was going back to the team that believed in him as a teenager.

“It’s something good because [the Cubs are] an organization that gave me the opportunity to sign in the United States and the fact they wanted me back is a good thing,” Paredes said.

He reached out to two of his good friends — Javier Assad and Miguel Amaya. The trio had all signed in 2015 and came up together. They were in the Dominican Republic playing in the Complex League — managed by Cabreja — and arrived in the United States together.

The three of them used to dream of all playing in the majors together for the Cubs.  

“We were always together,” Paredes said. “We always trusted one another and the talent each of us had.

“We thought it was possible, but honestly, once I left here, well it felt impossible.”

Assad and Amaya told Paredes some of the clubhouse rules and what to expect when he joined the club. The three were accomplishing their dreams — they had gone from teenage, international signees to major leaguers with the team that entrusted them.

And for Paredes, it was a dream that stretched beyond that. Monday, the day after the trade, he dug up that old photo of himself as a kid with a Cubs uniform on. Paredes would don the uniform again, this time as a major leaguer.

“I never thought it would happen,” Paredes said.