Seattle Mariners American League West Rivals Sign Two-Time All-Star Joc Pederson
The American League West (sans Seattle Mariners) continues to stay active.
The Mariners have yet to make major additions to the roster despite pressing needs at first, second and third base. And while they've been quiet so far in the offseason, their in-division rivals have been busy.
Just hours after trading away first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to the Washington Nationals, the Texas Rangers inked two-time All-Star outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson to a deal.
The news was first announced by the Athletic's MLB insider Ken Rosenthal at 1:50 a.m. PT on Dec. 23.
Free agent designated hitter Joc Pederson in agreement with Rangers, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 23, 2024
The terms of the deal were not announced at the time of the report.
Pederson, despite playing his 11th major league season in 2024, was an extremely effective slugger and overall hitter last year for the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 132 games played, Pederson hit a career-high .275 to go with 23 home runs and 64 RBIs. Pederson will play in the American League for the first time in 2025.
Joc Pederson puts the snakes back on top with a solo shot! 🐍 pic.twitter.com/8y7djD6tcF
— MLB (@MLB) July 3, 2024
The Rangers added significant power and flexibility to the lineup by signing Pederson. Texas will be able to rotate Pederson and fellow outfielder/designated hitter Adolis Garcia in outfield and at designated hitter.
It also means there's one more slugger in the division for Seattle to deal with.
The Mariners have already lost out on a lot of players over the past week that would fit their needs such as Christian Walker, Paul Goldschmidt, Josh Naylor and Carlos Santana. And while that's going on, their rivals are getting better.
There's still roughly two months for Seattle to turn the offseason around. But with a limited payroll and limited options, the offseason is starting to have a pessimistic outlook.
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