Joc Pederson almost certainly won't play for the Dodgers next year. They just don't need him. His specialty, hitting home runs against right-handed pitching, isn't enough for the Dodgers to offer the 28-year-old a multiyear contract.
The Dodgers have a plethora of talent that can hit home runs against right-handed pitching: Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Corey Seager, Matt Beaty, Edwin Rios, Justin Turner, and even Kiké Hernandez. Many of these players are simply cheaper than Pederson, and those who aren't have a wider skill set. Pederson has been a consistent Postseason performer for the Dodgers, but the randomness of October and the fact that all this production has been home runs off right-handed pitching lends to such not being a factor in their decision making, I would think.
The simply reality of the situation is that there is no longer room on the team for Joc. While it'll certainly be sad to see him go, Baseball is a business. The money the Dodgers would have to spend to keep Joc Pederson around is something they simply aren't willing to do, seeing to the fact that they tried to trade him DURING his arbitration hearing. He wants more money than they're willing to give.
Joc's been in the organization longer than most current Dodgers, so it'll certainly be a shock to the system if he doesn't resign with the Dodgers, but hopefully he'll be able to find a good spot on a team where he can hit 30+ homers against righties and get a chance to try playing everyday.
Photo Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press
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