Rangers Count on Joc Pederson’s Comeback After Exercising 2026 Option
The Texas Rangers are now tied to designated hitter Joc Pederson for another season, as he has opted into the 2026 option of his contract. This decision comes after a dismal performance in the previous year that saw him struggle both at the plate and with injuries.
Contract Details and Expectations
The 33-year-old Pederson exercised his player option, which is part of the two-year, $37 million deal he signed last offseason. This option guarantees him $18.5 million. Given the depth of his struggles during the past season, it was unlikely he would venture into free agency. The Rangers may have held out hope that he would choose to opt out, enabling them to void the two-year, $39 million option they had planned. However, with financial tightening on the horizon, that scenario never materialized.
Now, Texas is banking on Pederson to bounce back and contribute significantly to their offense in the coming season.
A Season to Forget
Signed primarily as a left-handed hitter to face right-handed pitchers, Pederson’s 2025 season was nothing short of a nightmare. He experienced a significant slump early on, compounded by a three-month injury absence. Over the course of 96 games, he posted a disheartening slash line of .181/.285/.328, with just nine home runs and 26 RBIs. This marked the lowest output of his career, especially jarring considering his previous season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he had shone with a .275/.393/.515 line, hitting 23 home runs and driving in 64 runs.
Pederson’s misfortunes began early, as he failed to hit a home run until May 10. Soon after, he suffered a fracture in his right hand, sidelining him until late July. His return saw some improvement; before the injury, he had managed a meager .131 average, but post-injury, he raised his numbers to .224/.300/.406, along with seven home runs and 20 RBIs in the season’s final stretch. Though not stellar, it provided a glimmer of hope for the Rangers.
Previous Resilience and Future Prospects
Interestingly, Pederson’s past suggests he has the ability to recover from rough patches. After a subpar 2020 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he batted .190/.285/.397 in 43 games, he rebounded in 2021 with a .238/.310/.422 line, hitting 18 home runs and amassing 61 RBIs across two teams.
While there may be some speculation about the possibility of trading Pederson, his recent performance complicates that avenue. Instead, the Rangers will need to focus on the hiring of a new hitting coach and how effectively they can facilitate Pederson’s return to form under the guidance of first-year manager Skip Schumaker.
As the Rangers move forward, the franchise’s hopes for an offensive revival may very well rest on the shoulders of Joc Pederson, who now must prove that last season was an anomaly rather than a new norm.
