Former Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson is set to enter free agency after declining an $18.5 mutual option with the Texas Rangers.
Pederson, since leaving the Dodgers after winning the World Series in 2020, bounced around teams in the National League before landing with the Rangers, featuring for the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks.
He had a solid season with the Rangers in 2026 following a tumultuous campaign in 2025, during which he had just a .614 OPS through 96 games.
In 2026, though, he slugged 26 homers—nearly three times as many as the season before—and drove in 53 runs while slashing .235/.329/.487 for a .816 OPS.
Where Could Joc Pederson End Up?
As nice as it would be to see Pederson in Dodger blue again, with Shohei Ohtani commanding the designated hitter spot, he wouldn’t see much action at all.
Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors speculated which teams could be suitors for Pederson during the offseason.
“His old team in Arizona could use a DH and is looking to improve against righties,” Franco wrote. “Texas will presumably have some interest in bringing him back. The Pirates, Padres, Blue Jays and Orioles all got lackluster production out of the DH Spot. The Reds were the worst offensive team in MLB against right-handed pitching and are unlikely to re-sign Eugenio Suarez.”
How Good was Joc Pederson With the Dodgers?
Pederson spent the first seven years of his MLB career with the Dodgers, accruing 9.9 bWAR over the course of 748 games with the team.
He crushed 130 home runs during that time, driving in 303 runs and posting an .806 OPS. His best season with the team came in 2019, when he hit 36 bombs and had 74 RBIs on the year, though his sole All-Star appearance for the team came in his rookie season four years earlier.
Pederson also won the World Series with the team in 2020, putting together an unreal postseason with a .991 OPS through 16 games. He also had a great performance during the 2017 postseason, hitting three homers and driving in five runs with a 1.186 OPS.
How do you feel towards Joc Pederson?
