Everybody knew it was going to happen but Joc Pederson officially exercised his 2026 player option with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday following a massively down season for the power hitting lefty.
The 33-year-old DH/1B is set to make $18.5 million next year after finishing the season slashing .181/.285/.328 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs in 96 games. Pederson also missed over three months recovering from a right hand fracture after being hit by a pitch on May 24 in Chicago.
Acquired ahead of the 2025 season to finally solve the Rangers' ongoing problems at DH, Pederson was coming off a massive season with Arizona and all spring training indicators pointed toward this being a runaway acquisition.