After making a run to the World Series, the Arizona Diamondbacks haven't been afraid to spend throughout free agency. While they've already landed some impressive talent, the Diamondbacks still have a few more boxes to check on their wish list.
At the top of Arizona's priorities is finding a right-handed hitter to pair with Joc Pederson at designated hitter, via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Players such as Randall Grichuk, Tommy Pham and Adam Duvall are all names the Diamondbacks are considering.
Arizona signed Pederson to a one-year, $12.5 million contract. He spent the 2023 season with the San Francisco Giants, hitting .235 with 15 home runs and 51 RBI over 121. However, Pederson rarely hit against left-handed pitching. He had 52 plate appearances against lefties in 2023, hitting .186 with a home run and three RBI.
Left-handed struggles have become the norm throughout Pederson's career. In the league for over 10 years, Pederson has hit .237 with 186 home runs and 485 RBI. Only 14 home runs and 64 RBI have some against lefties, with the DH hitting .209 overall.
Joc Pederson is still a valuable asset to the Diamondbacks. Alongside his power stroke, Pederson is a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champions. He knows how to succeed in the playoffs, which is exactly where Arizona wants to be.
But first, they'll need some help. While the Diamondbacks don't have a deal in place, they know full and well who they want to target for some extra hitting. If they can find a slugger who hits lefties the way Pederson hits righties, the D'Backs could be gearing up for another deep playoff run.
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