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Rangers' Pederson Shockingly Declines $18.5 Million Mutual Option
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- Rangers' Pederson Shockingly Declines $18.5 Million Mutual Option
(IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect)
The first major move of the Texas Rangers ' offseason is here, and to say it's a big one would be an understatement.
Designated hitter Joc Pederson has declined his mutual option, according to ESPN 's Jesse Rogers, electing free agency over an $18.5 million deal to remain with the Rangers.
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Pederson turning down that much guaranteed money is an interesting choice, to say the least, given his situation.
The left-handed batter will turn 35 years old roughly one month into the 2027 regular season, so how much money does he expect will come his way in free agency?
There was clearly a lot going on behind the scenes that led to this move. It felt like a no-brainer for Pederson to stick around. That was probably the most money he'll see during a season throughout the rest of his career.
But suddenly, the Rangers have a bunch of extra money available along with a decision to make with the DH spot.
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Rangers won't argue with Pederson's decision
Losing a left-handed hitter is never a great thing to have happen, but with how much money this team owed Pederson, this is going to give them a ton of flexibility moving forward.
Make no mistake about it, Pederson did much better in 2026 after a horrific first year with the Rangers. He went from a -0.3 WAR player to 1.7, and his .816 OPS was miles above the .614 it was in his initial season with the team.
Pederson wasn't able to contribute down the stretch due to an injury, but he still finished second on the team with 26 home runs.
It's clear that he's got a lot of power left in the tank, but it's crazy to think that nearly 30% of his hits this season were homers.
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Sure, he finished second on the team in that department, but he only had 53 RBIs, which was 37 fewer than team-leading Jake Burger.
At times, this Rangers lineup was undoubtedly better when Pederson was in it, but now that he's not coming back for '27, it opens up a world of possibilities.
MLB.com 's Kennedi Landry suggests that Corey Seager, Brandon Nimmo, or Josh Jung could all become the new DH, or even a combination of all three.
Manager Skip Schumaker's lineup is going to get younger and faster, and while a bit of the power is being removed, the money they are saving from Pederson's decision makes it all worth it.
