Rangers make roster move for Joc Pederson, DFA former division rival draft pick

As the 2024-25 MLB offseason marches on, it feels like the Texas Rangers have found a way to enter the headlines on a daily basis. The club has been one of the most active in the league, adding a slew of new faces to a 26-man roster that desperately needed a facelift this winter.

At the moment, the newest member to join the Rangers is outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson, who Texas recently inked to a two-year contract. The slugger has some of the best raw power in baseball and is going to be a solid fit for the Rangers. Just this past season, Pederson hit 23 home runs while sporting an impressive .908 OPS and 151 OPS+ through 132 games with the Diamondbacks.

Pederson can't hit left-handed pitching to save his life, but he'll be a righty-masher for Texas for the next two years. To make room for the 11-year veteran on the Rangers' 40-man roster, the club designated reliever Grant Anderson for assignment.

Rangers DFA Grant Anderson after Joc Pederson signing

One of the Rangers' top areas in need of a makeover this offseason is the bullpen, as each of Kirby Yates, David Robertson, Jose Urena, Jose Leclerc, and Andrew Chafin all are set to depart in free agency.

Anderson, 27, has a funky sidearm delivery that could be used to keep hitters off balance if his offerings weren't so hittable. The right-hander has logged 49 appearances and 62 1/3 innings of work across the past two years, but the results have not yet been in his favor.

So far, Anderson has accumulated -1.3 bWAR while posting a 6.35 ERA, 5.91 FIP and 66 ERA+. His strikeouts have been low, his walks have been high, and he's allowed a 10.3 H/9 rate to begin his big league career. These results were not enough to instill much confidence in his arm moving forward.

With the Rangers needing help all over the 'pen, it makes perfect sense for them to cut bait with an underperforming player who's far from a "sure thing" to turn it around next season.

To Anderson's credit, he posted a 2.93 ERA through 26 Triple-A outings in 2024, striking out over 11 batters per nine innings while not giving up a single home run through just under 28 innings. This alone should have the Rangers hoping he makes it through waivers unclaimed and can be stashed in Triple-A without having to occupy a spot on their 40-man roster.