Joc Pederson Agrees to Deal With Texas Rangers

Veteran outfielder Joc Pederson and the Texas Rangers have agreed on a contract pending a physical, The Athletic's' Ken Rosenthal was first to report on Monday morning. The 32-year old left-hander became a free agent last month when he declined a $14 million option from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Pederson, a two-time All Star, has transitioned into more of a platoon player as his career has gone on, but reliably remained capable of delivering in big moments when presented with the opportunity. He hit .275 with 23 home runs and 64 RBIs for Arizona last season, putting together an OPS of .908. Pederson has been a staple of the postseason for the past several years and regarded, scientifically, as a very good vibes guy.

Texas is coming off a disappointing 78-84 campaign in 2024, a season in which they were trying to repeat as World Series champions. Ardolis Garcia, Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and Leody Taveras are already in place as outfield pieces so it will be intriguing to see just how many opportunities Pederson gets.