Will Joc Pederson's game-tying heroics awake the sleeping giant for the stretch run?

If you're going around saying you saw that Joc Pederson bomb coming in the bottom of the ninth against the New York Yankees, then you just might be fibbing.

Not that we're complaining. The bomb 15 rows deep into the right field bleachers was a most welcome sight and has us wondering where that power stroke has been hiding for the 1B/DH all season, and can we count on seeing more of it moving forward?

Joc Pederson came up huge in the series opener vs. the Yankees

Now this is what the Rangers paid $17 million per year to see from the left-handed hitting slugger! His pinch-hit mammoth homer off of Yankees closer Devin Williams was as clutch as they come.

Pederson turned on an 84 mph change-up and blasted the baseball 408 feet to tie the score at 5-5. The Rangers would win in the bottom of the 10th on a Josh Jung 3-run dinger.

Cameras caught Pederson with some choice words as he looked toward his teammates once he knew he had tied te game. As he exited the batter's box, he said, "Don't **** with me! DO NOT **** with me!"

It's the kind of energy that Ranger fans have been waiting all season long for as the homerun was just his 3rd of the season and first since May 17 against Houston.

Will his big moment carry over into the rest of the season?

It's not too late for Pederson to salvage what has been a season to forget up to this point. Bruce Bochy appears prepared to give the slugger every chance to build on the momentum from the big homerun.

Pederson is still hitting just .132 with an OPS of .503. Now, it is up to the big free agent signing to reward Bochy's faith and Ranger fans by continuing to come up with big hits as the Rangers make a run for the postseason.