MLB Insider sees Rangers and Joc Pederson dancing alone this offseason, but it would be a mistake

Joc Pederson rebounded nicely in 2026 after what was one of the worst seasons by a Texas Rangers positional player in franchise history in 2025. He had his bat speed back and used it to smack 26 home runs and notch a .817 OPS and 134 OPS+. He did it almost entirely from the DH spot, hitting leadoff in Skip Schumaker's lineup.

Now, he enters the winter with an $18.5 million mutual option with the Rangers, and it's beginning to look like Chris Young and company are going to face a very difficult decision. Former GM and senior writer for The Athletic, Jim Bowden, is positing that there probably won't be much of a market for the 35-year-old slugger, which may leave the Rangers as Pederson's only dance partner if he wants to cash in in 2027.

Former GM Jim Bowden thinks the Rangers and Joc Pederson may be inexorably tied together, but Chris Young shouldn't bite

In an article for The Athletic on the New York Times website in which Bowden predicts the best landing spot for the top 40 free agents, he states that the Rangers are still the best and only fit for Joc. He lauds Pederson for his noteworthy comeback season last year, but believes that his limitations in the field and his advancing age will tamp down most suitors on the open market. He believes that Pederson would have to take a pay cut to stay with the Rangers. Still, we believe that Young and the club should cut ties with Pederson completely and open up the DH spot to maximize the team's versatility.

We agree with the assessment that Pederson's limitations will reduce his overall appeal, but don't believe the answer is bringing him back at a cheaper rate. Bowden is predicting there will be a 2-year, $30 million deal to stay in Arlington. He has contract comps like Ryan O’Hearn (2 years, $29 million), Taylor Ward (1 year, $12.175 million), and Mike Yastrzemski (2 years, $23 million) to give you an idea of how much he values Pederson's worth.

Opening up the DH slot on the roster would allow Schumaker to give injury-prone players like Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford, and Josh Jung a chance to slide into the role and get an occasional half-day off. This could keep them fresher over a 162-game schedule and reduce injury risk.

It would also allow the durable Ezequiel Duran to continue to be a versatile plug-and-play option who could play any of the spots on the field vacated by them. "The Solution" is really the only unique weapon that the Rangers have, and they have to take advantage of his ability to play anywhere on the field.

Ideally, in a world where all the Rangers' starters are healthy, you could essentially rotate those three guys (and even Jake Burger now and again) in the DH role and have Zeke fill in for them. Admittedly, the idea of everyone being healthy at one time seems a little Pollyanna, but it would be the best way to optimize this particular group's strength every day and tilt the field in their direction.

They are going to need every advantage they can get heading into a 2027 season where it doesn't appear they will have much flexibility with some aging players. The Rangers also need to maximize every dollar, and with pressing holes, reuniting with the veteran slugger might not be the best use of resources. Letting Pederson walk is one thing they can control.

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