The Arizona Diamondbacks, despite reaching the World Series last season, have not sat on their laurels this offseason. Already the team has added Eduardo Rodriguez and Eugenio Suarez, and now Arizona has reportedly brought in slugger Joc Pederson on a one-year deal, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN:
“Can confirm what @SteveGilbertMLB said: The D-backs have agreed to one-year deal with a mutual option with Joc Pederson. The defending NL champs have added a LH power bat to go with the additions of Eduardo Rodriguez and Eugenio Suarez, plus the return of Lourdes Gurriel Jr.”
The Diamondbacks were looking for a left-handed slugger to slot in the designated hitter spot, and Pederson fits that description perfectly.
Pederson has played in the majors since 2014, having played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, and the San Francisco Giants.
He holds a career .237 batting average with 186 home runs and 485 RBIs. Additionally, his veteran presence would be a welcome to the Diamondbacks' roster as well.
He'll pair well with Suarez, who the Diamondbacks acquired in a trade with the Mariners last November. Suarez hit 22 home runs in 2023 but led the league in strikeouts with 214. It was his third time leading the league in strikeouts.
In 2022, though, Suarez crushed 31 home runs. Teams can live with the high strikeouts as long as Suarez offers enough productivity with his power numbers.
Rodriguez turned in one of the best seasons in his career in 2023 with the Tigers (13-9, 3.30 ERA, 143 K, 1.15 WHIP) and earned himself a four-year/$80 million deal in free agency with a Diamondbacks team that suddenly looks like one of the best in all of Major League Baseball.
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