It’s no secret that after a disappointing 2023 season offensively, the Toronto Blue Jays are searching for free agents to make their offensive attack much more potent. Outfielder Joc Pederson is definitely one of those free agents. If the Blue Jays were to acquire Pederson, he would likely be a full-time designated hitter, with Varsho, Kiermaier, Springer filling out the defensive roles in the outfield.
Pederson began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, crushing 26 home runs in his first full season in 2015. The slugger would continue mashing in LA until 2021, where Pederson signed a 1-year, $7 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. Pederson put up 11 home runs in 73 games for Chicago until he was traded to the Braves. The 31-year-old outfielder put up 3 home runs in the postseason with Atlanta, contributing to their World Series Championship. Joc Pederson then went to San Francisco and put up an OPS of .874 in 2022 and an OPS of .764 in 2023.
In Joc Pederson’s 9 full seasons, he has gone below a 100 wRC+ and .735 OPS only twice. He has always had a high slugging% and has been a reliable player in terms of health, playing over 100 games in every one of his full seasons (excluding 2020). For a Blue Jays team that went from 3rd in team slugging% to 11th, Pederson would be a welcome addition to Toronto.
In conclusion, Joc Pederson offers solid offensive production. With the re-signing of Kevin Kiermaier, the Blue Jays can utilize Pederson as a DH. Pederson’s 46.3 pull% in 2023 (about 9% increase from 2022) can result in many more home runs. The 2023 Blue Jays ranked 16th in MLB in home runs, an area where Pederson excels. Pederson’s reliability and consistency in his career shows that he can definitely contribute to a sputtering offence.