The Texas Rangers announced the signing of Joc Pederson to a two-year, $37 million contract just before the new year. While he is likely to move into a designated hitter role, Pederson can potentially bring a big thump to a lineup that was missing a power hitter in 2024. Pederson will immediately strengthen the Rangers’ offense and could have a drastic impact against American League (AL) West teams.
After a thrilling 2023 World Series championship run, the Rangers missed the playoffs in 2024. Last season, the Rangers ranked 18th in home runs, but without Corey Seager’s 30 homers, they would have dropped to 29th in the league. The team also ranked 21st in batting average, hitting a below-average .238.
Among qualified hitters, only Seager hit above .275. Even Silver Slugger winner Josh Smith hit .258 with 13 homers. The additions of Jake Burger and Kyle Higashioka will bring some much-needed power to the lineup, but Pederson might be the exact solution the Rangers need.
In 2024, Pederson had a career year, hitting .275 with 23 homers and posting a .393 on-base percentage with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Before that, he batted .274 in 2022 and was an All-Star with the San Francisco Giants. Over his career, Pederson has maintained a .241 batting average and has averaged 27 home runs per season.
Pederson’s fit with the Rangers is strong, as the team now has a reliable designated hitter. Last season, Rangers DHs combined for a slash line of .204/.263/.322 with a .585 OPS—ranking second-to-last in batting average and worst in MLB in OBP, SLG, and OPS.
Pederson’s offensive contributions will be felt immediately, transforming the DH position from a liability to a strength. This sort of stability instantly makes the Rangers closer to the World Series contender they were in 2023.
However, there is another thing that stands out about this signing.
In 2024, Pederson excelled against right-handed pitching, posting a .281 average and hitting 22 homers, compared to a .210 average against left-handers. While Pederson won’t be an everyday player, he will see significant action in key matchups. According to RotoChamp’s projections for 2025, here are the projected starting pitchers for AL West rivals:
Framber Valdez – LHP
Hunter Brown – RHP
Ronel Blanco – RHP
Spencer Arrighetti – RHP
Luis Garcia – RHP
Logan Gilbert – RHP
Luis Castillo – RHP
George Kirby – RHP
Bryce Miller – RHP
Bryan Woo – RHP
Yusei Kikuchi – LHP
Jose Soriano – RHP
Tyler Anderson – LHP
Kyle Hendricks – RHP
Reid Detmers – LHP
Luis Severino – RHP
Jeffery Springs – LHP
JP Sears – LHP
Joey Estes – RHP
Mitch Spence – RHP
Only six of the 20 projected starters are left-handed, giving Pederson ample opportunities to face right-handers in the AL West competition.
Pederson also brings extensive postseason experience, having appeared in five World Series. In 79 playoff games, he has a .256/.332/.482 slash line. If the Rangers return to the postseason, Pederson is likely to play a pivotal role.
It’s hard to imagine that the free agent mastermind and President of Baseball Operations, Chris Young, is done with signings this offseason. Still, Joc will bring them one step closer to competing for a World Series title next season.
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