Joc Pederson sounds ready to flip the script with Rangers after 2025 disaster

Joc Pederson disappointed Rangers fans last season after signing expensive contract

Rangers fans know that their favorite team's lack of offensive production last season was the reason they missed the playoffs with an 81-81 win-loss record. Texas had the best ERA (3.47) in Major League Baseball, yet had the worst OPS (.683) in the league besides the Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians and Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Rangers' poor offensive season wasn't due to one player. However, one down year for an expensive offseason signing, designated hitter Joc Pederson, contributed significantly to the issue.

During the 2024-25 offseason, the Rangers signed Pederson to a two-year, $37 million contract that includes an opt-out after 2025. It was a no-brainer for Pederson to exercise his player option for 2026, as he posted -0.3 bWAR and a .181/.285/.614 slash line with nine homers and 26 RBI in 306 plate appearances across 96 games for Texas last year. He will be paid $18.5 million this season, and he has an $18.5 million mutual option for 2027. Paying $18.5 million to a negative-WAR player isn't a recipe for success, especially for a team operating on a limited budget.

Even with the addition of outfielder Brandon Nimmo, the Rangers desperately need Pederson to perform at the level they expected when they signed him.

Pederson likely still has gas left in the tank. Despite having an overall awful season, he showed a flash of his former self in August, slashing .286/.342/.600 with six home runs and 15 RBI in 24 games. It's also possible that his right-hand fracture, which he suffered in May and kept him sidelined for over three months, contributed to his poor season at the plate.

Rangers DH Joc Pederson appears ready to return to best version of himself in 2026

Luckily, it appears Pederson, 33, is trying his best to bounce back in 2026. The Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant wrote an intriguing article highlighting all of the work Pederson has done this offseason to ensure he is in the best position to succeed this season.

Pederson told Grant he has cut out snacking and had an offseason chef, and worked out regularly with Texas' conditioning staff members who reside in Arizona. As a result, the former Dodger estimated he lost between 15-20 pounds. He also began hitting five days a week with Rangers hitting instructor Justin Viele in January.

Pederson deserves a lot of credit for the effort he has put in to ensure he's in the best position to be worth his contract in 2026. If he bounces back, the Rangers' lineup could be among the league's best if Corey Seager, Brandon Nimmo, Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter remain healthy for most of the season.