The Texas Rangers are betting big on a bounce-back year offensively, and the centerpiece of that revival could be their newest designated hitter, Joc Pederson. After a dismal showing at DH in 2024, the Rangers are counting on Pederson to help bring some much-needed pop back to the lineup — and manager Bruce Bochy isn’t sugarcoating how critical his presence will be.
“We were really missing that last year, no doubt,” Bochy said. “We just didn’t get the production that we needed from a DH spot.”
He’s right. Texas DHs combined for a league-worst .584 OPS in 2024, slashing just .205/.261/.323. It was a glaring hole in an otherwise talented lineup, one that stood in sharp contrast to the club’s 2023 output, when Mitch Garver posted an .870 OPS primarily out of the DH role during the team’s run to its first World Series title.
Now, the Rangers are hoping Pederson — signed this offseason to a two-year, $37 million contract — can be the difference. The 32-year-old is coming off arguably the best season of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he slashed .275/.393/.908 and ranked among the league leaders in several key advanced metrics. Pederson’s average exit velocity (92.3 mph) and expected slugging (.480) were both in the top 10% of MLB hitters.
Joc Pederson looks to provide a big offensive boost for the Rangers
“Joc’s gonna get most of that [DH time] this year,” Bochy confirmed, signaling a change from last year’s unsuccessful DH platoon approach.
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Pederson’s addition is part of a broader effort by Texas to recapture its offensive identity. In 2023, the Rangers led the American League with 881 runs and a 116 wRC+. But in 2024, injuries and regression from key contributors dropped those numbers significantly, with the team’s batting average falling to .238 and slugging percentage dropping to .380.
That’s why, even as the rotation has been hit hard with injuries — including Jon Gray (wrist fracture) and Cody Bradford (elbow soreness) — president of baseball operations Chris Young continues to emphasize offense.
“I think our team’s built in a way to protect our starting pitching with an offense that’s going to score some runs,” Young said.
Through 25 Cactus League games this spring, the offense is doing just that. The Rangers have tallied 92 extra-base hits, including 33 home runs — fourth in the Cactus League. Nearly 43% of their hits have gone for extra bases.
“I think the offense has been pretty good,” Bochy said. “I don’t think it’s where we’re going to be. The numbers tell you that too. But overall, I think it’s been a pretty good spring.”
The Rangers are still finalizing their 26-man roster, but Pederson’s role as the team’s primary designated hitter is all but locked in. If his bat stays hot, he could be the key to keeping Texas in contention while their pitching staff regroups. Bottom line: If the Rangers are going to weather their early pitching woes and make another postseason push, Pederson’s bat may be their not-so-secret weapon.
