1 Rangers player whose spring has not matched his regular season performance thus far

Regardless of how much stock people put into it, spring training stats do not matter. Now that's a perfect mindset for a player that struggled in camp to enter the regular season and turn it around but for those who were hot in March, they are probably wondering what is different from just a few weeks ago?

Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson is one of those players on the latter side of the conversation. The 32-year-old slugger knocked 5 home runs and drove in 15 runs in nearly 40 at-bats during the spring but so far seven games into the regular season he's been non-existent.

He entered the final two games in Cincinnati this week with only one hit to his 2025 season (1-for-13). It is good that Tuesday and Wednesday against the Reds he started to string it together a bit and recorded a pair of hits, including a pivotal double off Hunter Greene on Wednesday and was driven in by Josh Smith to score the winning run for the Rangers.

All that being said, he's still being productive despite the numbers not displaying that fact. He's scored runs two of the four times he's been on base this season and has only struck out three times, which means he's seeing the ball and putting it in play. It just hasn't worked out in his favor yet.

Throughout the season players get on hot and cold streaks over the course of the six months, it's only natural. Just like it's only natural and a matter of time until Pederson starts stringing hits together and launching baseballs over the fence.

From a fan's perspective it's important to remember that we are only one week into a 162-game schedule and it's more than fair to not see lights out production from any player immediately. It is even magnified when a player, such as Pederson, is coming into a new environment with a new team to get into the swing of things and become comfortable over time.

There's nothing we, as fans, can do to make his progress go a bit faster. He's limiting the strikeouts, putting up long at-bats and scoring vital runs when needed. There's also a tiny "factor" on the new incoming torpedo bat that Pederson ordered and is anxious to start using. Not saying that will be an automatic page-turner for him but I know there is real science and data to show it can be valuable.

In the meantime, Pederson's production will come and when it does the Rangers will skyrocket in their offensive numbers and truly hit the potential that is set for them this season.