Dec. 23, 2024 15:59 PM EST

Texas Rangers Agree With Free Agent Dh Joc Pederson On Contract, Ap Source Says

By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer
FILE - Arizona Diamondbacks' Joc Pederson smiles while at bat during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sept. 21, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash, File) Aaron Gash, ASSOCIATED PRESS
FILE - Arizona Diamondbacks' Joc Pederson smiles while at bat during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sept. 21, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash, File)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers and free agent designated hitter Joc Pederson have agreed on a contract, a person with knowledge of the deal said Monday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement is pending a physical.

The Rangers will be the third team in three years for Pederson, who rebounded from a sub-par 2023 season with San Francisco to hit a career-best .275 with 23 homers and 64 RBIs last season with Arizona.

The deal with Pederson could be another step toward Texas making slugging corner infielder Jake Burger the club's primary first baseman.

The Rangers acquired Burger, who has experience at DH, from Miami this month. The deal with Pederson comes a day after Texas traded Nathaniel Lowe, the club's first baseman the past four seasons, to Washington for left-handed reliever Robert Garcia.

Texas added another reliever Monday with the free agent signing of right-hander Shawn Armstrong. The Rangers also designated catcher Sam Huff, their seventh-round pick in 2016, for assignment.

The 32-year-old Pederson spent his first six full big league seasons as an outfielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was an All-Star as a rookie in 2015. The Rangers have some uncertainty in their outfield.

Pederson struggled in his final season in LA, when the Dodgers won the neutral-site World Series at the home of the Rangers in 2020, before signing with the Chicago Cubs as a free agent.

The Cubs traded Pederson to Atlanta during that first season, and he signed with San Francisco as a free agent each of the next two offseasons before joining the Diamondbacks last January.

Pederson had career bests of 36 home runs and 74 RBIs with the Dodgers in 2019. His best OPS of .908 came last season in Arizona.

The Bay Area native is a career .241 hitter with 209 homers and 549 RBIs. His second All-Star appearance came with the Giants in 2022.

The 34-year-old Armstrong pitched for Tampa Bay, St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs last season. He was 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA in 57 appearances, with seven starts. He's 11-8 with a 4.15 ERA in 299 appearances over 10 seasons.

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