The Texas Rangers are playing good baseball and are above .500. Anytime you are above .500 in baseball means that you have a chance to make the postseason. The Rangers could be buyers at the MLB Trade Deadline and are also getting back an outfielder with a ton of pop.

Joc Pederson has seriously struggled wearing a Texas Rangers uniform. He is hitting just .131 in 122 at-bats this season. He had a major stretch where he failed to hit the ball. With only two homers this season, Pederson has not been able to do what he always does — give teams a home run threat from the left side of the plate.

According to manager Bruce Bochy, Pederson is close to returning.

“With the way he looked today, I don’t see it being a long rehab.”

Pederson took live batting practice today and will do it again on Wednesday. He will then do a short rehab assignment in the minors before being called up back to the roster. The Rangers are hoping he can serve as a trade deadline acquisition and perform at a high level down the stretch of the season.

Pederson broke onto the scene with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014. He has hit 211 home runs since and hit 23 with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. This is the first season in his career where he is playing in the American League, so it has taken some time for him to adjust to different pitching.

Bochy seems to think that it will be a short rehab for the slugger. Bochy has seen his pop many times as the manager of the San Francisco Giants. There aren't many managers in the league who would give Pederson the opportunity that he is getting with how he has performed so far this season. However, Pederson signed a 2-year $37 million deal this offseason, so he needs to be on the field.

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