Veteran slugger Joc Pederson has officially exercised his $18.5 million player option to remain with the Texas Rangers for the 2026 season. The decision was purely financial, as his disappointing 2025 performance made it impossible for him to earn that salary on the open market.
Pederson’s first year in Arlington couldn’t have gone much worse. After signing as a near full-time designated hitter expected to mash right-handed pitching, he instead hit a dismal .181/.285/.328 with just nine home runs over 306 plate appearances. The veteran started slowly, fractured his right hand after being hit by a pitch in May, and showed only marginal improvement in the second half.
The 32-year-old had posted a solid 136 OPS+ across the previous three seasons before arriving in Texas. His struggles made the option decision a no-brainer – he obviously wouldn’t have come close to an $18.5 million salary in free agency.
Rangers Face Difficult Roster Decisions
The Rangers now find themselves stuck with an underperforming contract they can’t easily move. Trading Pederson would likely require Texas to eat most of his salary, with teams willing to take on only a couple million dollars at most.
Texas management faces tough decisions this offseason with several underperforming contracts on the books
Texas is expected to reshape their offense through trades or non-tenders of players like Adolis García, Jonah Heim, and Josh Jung. However, they’ll have a much tougher time finding takers for the underwater contracts of both Pederson and Marcus Semien.
Hope for a Rebound Season
The Rangers are banking on Pederson returning to his previous form. Just two seasons ago with Arizona, he mashed at a .275/.393/.515 clip, showing he’s capable of much better production than his 2025 disaster.
Pederson celebrates with teammates during better times in his Rangers tenure
Pederson did show flashes of his old self with a strong August, but otherwise struggled throughout the year. The Rangers probably don’t have much choice but to run it back with him as their primary designated hitter, hoping the veteran can rediscover the power stroke that made him a valuable contributor earlier in his career.
With limited trade options and a need for offensive production, Texas will be counting on Pederson to bounce back and justify his hefty salary in what they hope will be a much-improved 2026 campaign.
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