The Rangers Are Hoping Joc Pederson Is Finally Back

Sometimes a player just needs to yell. And yell is what Joc Pederson did Monday night. As soon as the ball left the pinch-hitting Pederson’s bat in the bottom of the ninth against the Yankees, he knew it was gone. Everyone knew it was gone.

In that moment, Texas Rangers fans got a snapshot of the big bat that the team had signed in the offseason. Not just the player, but the energy that he can bring. The words that spontaneously came roaring out of his mouth in that moment were laced with pent-up frustration.

Pederson was brought in during the offseason to add power from the left side of the plate, solidify the DH spot that had been dismal in 2024, and bring some swagger and edge to a roster that is, for the most part, quiet and fairly square.

Instead of being able to breathe life into the offense and bring confidence to the team, Pederson has been a liability for most of the season. His struggles at the plate have been horrific, no doubt.

Why the Rangers Signed Joc Pederson

Pederson had a fantastic year in 2024 for the Diamondbacks. Over 132 games and 449 plate appearances, he slashed .275/. 393/.515, slammed 23 home runs, and had a 151 wRC+.

He also brought an edge to the Rangers that they were looking for. In the press conference announcing his signing, Pederson fired some shots across the bow toward Houston.

“They (Astros) put together a nice little run, and it’s coming to an end. And it’s time for us to take over the American League West Division.”

Those words were aggressive and haven’t aged well. To this point anyway.

Last season was great for Pederson, but that isn’t the only reason that the Rangers wanted to grab the left-handed slugger. The guy has an incredible playoff resume and has a history of coming through in the biggest of moments.

Over his career, Pederson has played in four World Series, winning the title in both 2020 and 2021. He has played in 79 playoff games and excelled in postseason play against the best pitchers in the game. Over 218 plate appearances, Pederson has a batting line of .256/.332/.482, with 29 runs, 29 RBI, eight doubles, and 12 home runs.

If the Rangers were looking for a been-there, done-that guy coming off a great year, Pederson was the obvious choice. Not only that, but he fit the biggest hole in the lineup, which was DH.

The 2024 Rangers received the least production in the entire league from the DH spot. Last season, Texas only managed five home runs, a hitting line of .195/.271/.271, and a 59 wRC+ out of their DHs. Bringing in Pederson to fill the role on an everyday basis was the right call. Until it wasn’t.

Pederson’s 2025 Struggles

Spring training for Pederson was business as usual. His numbers were solid, and he looked like he was going to be a force in the middle of the Rangers’ lineup for Bruce Bochy.

Then the regular season started, and it was as if a faucet had been turned off. It wasn’t until the team’s 26th game and Pederson’s 22nd game that he recorded his first RBI.

His first home run didn’t come until the team’s 40th game and his 34th. That is not ideal for a guy who was signed to a two-year, $37 million contract specifically to drive in runs and hit bombs.

As if his struggles at the plate weren’t painful enough, Pederson got hit by a pitch and broke his right hand on May 24 against the White Sox. Not that getting hurt is ever a good thing, but it might have been a blessing in disguise.

Pederson had to go on the IL and wouldn’t see action for the Rangers again until July 27. When he came back, it was more of the same. It was apparent that Pederson was trying to make up for his tough season instead of staying in the moment.

Speaking of numbers. Yet again, the Rangers have received the worst production out of the DH spot in baseball. A large part of that reality is the season Pederson has had to this point.

In 55 games and 174 plate appearances, he is slashing .144/.277/.260 with only seven RBI, three home runs, and a 59 wRC+.

Baseball can be a humbling sport. But when a good ball player gets hot, there is nothing more exciting to watch.

Finding His Swing

It has been a short sample size of five games, but it appears that Pederson is coming into his own. Over that stretch heading into Wednesday’s action, he hit .385/.500/.692 with a double and a home run, driving in one and scoring three.

The big swing came on Monday night against the Yankees when he hit that game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth. Not only did it help set up Josh Jung’s walk-off homer in the 10th, but it was a glimpse into the kind of player that Joc Pederson really is.

Monday’s bomb was huge. It was huge for Pederson personally and huge for the team’s postseason ambitions. When talking about what he has been working on, Pederson offered this, “Just working on getting off my A swing. Trying to keep it simple.”

But the most exciting development occurred the next night. Playing off the momentum from the night before, Pederson turned in his most impressive performance in a Rangers uniform to date.

The box score was impressive as he went 2-for-2 with two walks, a double, and a run scored. What doesn’t show up in the box score was just as exciting. Pederson was fully engaged from start to finish. He wasn’t trying to do too much and was taking what the pitcher was giving him.

Then, on the bases, Pederson put on a clinic despite not possessing top-end speed. He was able to advance from second to third on a fly ball in the gap. It wasn’t a sure thing to tag up on, but he read the play perfectly. Even though he was stranded at third, the fact that he moved up showed his level of engagement.

On the run that he scored, again, he read the play like the crafty veteran he is and scored the insurance run standing up. Typically, this play would have been close or led to a holding of the runner at third, but not with Pederson’s baseball instincts flowing.

Even in Wednesday’s game, Pederson pinch-hit in the eighth inning against David Bednar and worked a walk. He is seeing the ball well.

Pederson had this to offer in his postgame presser on Monday: “It’s been a long road, but we’re not done and there are a lot of games left.”

There are indeed, and a locked-in Pederson and Rangers squad are going to be fun to watch over the remainder of the season.