In the wake of yesterday’s acquisition of Curtis Granderson, the Dodgers appear set to demote fellow outfielder Joc Pederson. There hasn’t been any official confirmation of the move, but various beat writers noted earlier today that Pederson’s locker was empty, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has seemingly confirmed the decision, telling reporters (including the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett on Twitter) that a stint in the minors will give Pederson an opportunity to “reset” while he works on changes to his swing.
As our own Jeff Todd noted yesterday, the Dodgers’ acquisition of Granderson gave them a wealth of outfield options, also including Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor, Enrique Hernandez and Cody Bellinger. Bellinger in particular bats lefty, as Pederson does, and figures to take some playing time in the outfield with Adrian Gonzalez returning from the DL.
The 25-year-old Pederson has been a fixture in the Dodgers’ outfield for the past three seasons and looked to be emerging as a core player after a strong 2016, but he has struggled badly of late, hitting a mere .127/.250/.309 in the past month and batting just 2-for-25 over the last two weeks. He’s also dealt with concussion issues and a groin injury this season. He has not played in the minors, other than in rehab assignments, since the Dodgers selected his contract in 2014. Notably, Pederson entered the season with two years and 28 days of service time, so there’s some chance his demotion could result in the Dodgers being awarded an extra year of control before he reaches free agency. It seems likely, however, that they’ll recall him when rosters expand in September, which would keep Pederson on track to become eligible for free agency following the 2020 season.
Trade him asap
I wish they did back when he had value.
He’s going down to work his swing, he won’t get regular at bats in the majors
Not sure what that will do for him. He can hit AAA pitching. Might be time to trade him and give him a fresh start somewhere else. If he can’t break out with turner wards instructions then it’s in his head.
Puig, Joc and minors for Stanton who has cleared waivers.
And McCarthy
The entire minors?
Yes, the entire minors
Oh lawd
That’s overpaying in terms of talent for Stanton. If the Marlins wouldn’t do Joc, Puig and McCarthy I wouldn’t add a single prospect to that deal. Even Joc + Puig is probably giving up too much talent but it seems like at least a fairly reasonable trade.
Can’t tell if you’re serious? If you are don’t be. If you aren’t then we’ll played.
Had to be a joke. No reasonable person could possibly think that Joc and Puig is too much talent
Stantons contract is the issue, and I doubt the Dodgers would trade Puig now, he’s a 5’tool player
In that case pujols must still be a 5 tool player.
Joc looks like he’s going to be a great player for a few weeks and then he looks like he belongs in AAA. I also hate teams platooning guys like Joc when they’re still young. He never sees LHP so they’ve basically given up on the hope of him being an everyday player. Dodgers are stacked which is part of the reason why but I just don’t think it does any favors to the young player.
He’s had time to prove the organization wrong, but if he’s not even hitting righties, how is he going to start hitting lefties all of a sudden when he’s never done so in his career. It’s on him to earn his playing time and his inconsistent play hasn’t done so til now.
Well coming back from his injury he was hitting everything for a good month stretch but I realize he’ll never get those ABS on the dodgers. Not referring to joc or the dodgers situation specifically but I feel like teams put guys into platoon situations too early on. Games moving toward extreme specialization but I feel like it doesn’t give all these guys a real chance.
Few organizations can afford to give development time to players at the major league level. It’s just not possible when you’re trying to battle for every win possible. I do see your point where it could help a young player develop thoroughly seeing pitchers from both sides. Shame for both the team and the player, but teams need wins.
“Few organizations can afford to give development time to players at the major league level.” Padres are one of them, as are the Pale Hose. But their fans are essentially paying to see exhibition games.
Was he put on waivers and passed through so he good be traded now. Would like to see the Tigers give him the time he needs.
Agreed on “platoon” point, jbig.
they should have included him im the Darvish trade..
not much value
I would have replaced Calhoun with Joc in a second. But the Rangers wouldn’t have taken that
Hopefully the wakeup call Joc needs to get serious about remaking his swing and hitting approach. Needs to go to the Turner/Taylor college of hitting in the off season and go to ST knowing that he must win a spot on the roster with Andrew Toles and Alex Verdugo his competition.
Doesn’t matter a whole lot. Joc Pederson can go to AAA and get regular playing time and work on his swing. Despite being optioned, he’s still on the 40-man roster and would be eligible for a September recall and a potential post-season roster spot to replace an injured Dodger with a solid showing down the stretch.
I think the Dodgers trade him in the offseason. No room for him in the Majors. Verdugo, Taylor, Puig, Toles, Bellinger (next year only), Thompson, Hernandez. He had an opportunity, but couldn’t produce. Too bad, he was a good kid!
Personally I think joc will be delt this offseason. He has upside of being an everyday league average hitter with huge pop plus average defense and glove. We won’t get much in return maybe a few mid level pitching/relief prospects. With verdugo on his way as our center fielder of the future, plus toles coming back there simply no room but for a team needing talent it’s worth the risk. I also see mcarthy being delt to a contender in need of solid rotation help. Ryu will not be resigned and Kashmir will most likely be bought out. Depending on how darvish pitches he is a candidate to be extended for 5/6 years 25 aav. Depending how we do in the postseason I can see Agon retiring due to chronic back issues. A lot of moving parts but it’s exciting to see what the dodgers do.
I’m sorry, but I can’t agree with either this move or the acquisition of Granderson – Pederson has contributed to what may be the greatest Dodger season ever and these moves just scream “what have you done for me lately” … What became of any commitment of ownership to develop talent and pursue a franchise using the resources they have. I can understand acquiring Darvish because Kershaw is Down, but when you’re 50 games over.500 to dump a talent you have cultivated and who has produced but now may be in a slump is a knee jerk reaction reminiscent of George Steinbrenner.
-0.4 war on the season. .215 batting average. -11 DRS. joc has not been producing at all. He was hot for 3 weeks after his DL stint and thats all he has done this season. Other than those 3 weeks he has been mediocre all season. He has been a complete liability as of late and has no place on this team.
This isn’t a knee jerk reaction. He’s been slumping since he was in the home run derby. This isn’t a high school relationship. This is a business that last had a world series ring when Berlin still had a wall. It’s their best chance to get one and regardless how you feel Granderson has been in the postseason with better results.
I think Joc can be an awesome ball player. His struggles at the plate is 100% mental. Just wish the Dodgers would stand behind him more like Washington did with Harper last year. I know they are different players but still, Joc has a lot of talent and has a ton of power behind his bat. If he can get out of his mental yips he’ll breakout. It’s patience that he needs the most.
Joc is a terrible player. He swings the bat like a drunken lumberjack. I don’t know how you can compare him to Harper.
How can you say that? His swing is perfect. The ball literally launches off his bat. He literally can hit 400+ ft bombs with barely an effort. He swings at pitches he shouldn’t and literally takes pitches he should foul off. That’s why he Ks so much. He’s got a hole in his swing and needs to train with Turner and Ward to get rid of it. He never adjusted to the Big leagues since his second year. He can be like Trout and Harper but he needs to get his head straight.
TheRealBDavis- dude, you gotta realize 90% of the “trade Joc, he sucks” camp are fans that look at three stats to judge a players offensive production- batting average, homeruns, and strikeouts. Sure, Joc may be having a down season, but he’s likely to bounce back, I’m not sure he can be like Harper or Trout, but I’m pretty sure he could have posted his third straight 25hr or more campaign had he not gotten injured in his collision with Puig. Joc has posted obp’s .100 points higher than his batting average in every one of his major league seasons so far, he’s been good defensively until this season, but his batting average is low so I guess he sucks.
Looks like Joc gets to keep his place at the Americana after all.
Tigers would like him.
Dodgers have become baseball’s version of the Persian Army in 300. You can hurt them, but their sheer numbers will overwhelm you sooner rather than later. If I run into Andrew Friedman any time soon, I’m gonna say, “Let me guess: Xerxes ?”
This just in: Manfred moves World Series site to Thermopylae
His body is awful but he’s a damn good center fielder. I think we can fix him for this club long term.
The Tigers should try to rebuild by getting Joc and Schwarber and see if they can help by giving them playing time with no.pressure
I don’t see the Tigers having any shot of acquiring Kyle Schwarber this offseason unless the deals centers around Michael Fulmer.
As for the “pressure” innuendo, Schwarber did just fine in his 4 games as a DH in Cleveland during last seasons World Series. Imo, Schwarber’s woes this season have more to do with Joe Maddon’s misuse than his performance under pressure.
The Tigers don’t have a single player the cubs want for Schwaber. He get a pitcher like Jake Odorizzi or Marcus Stroman. He struggled this year but He still hit 20 homers so far. He could end up with 30 by seasons end. People that says he’s horrific in left base it off missed plays in the 2015 NLCS. In left this year he has 1 error. He’s not great but he’s not that bad either.
I wonder if Joc could be the player to be named later for the Granderson trade. Would love to give him a shot at regular time with the mets as at worst he could be a 4th/5th outfielder for the mets assuming nimmo or lagares is the starter.
Mets are in need of a left handed hitting CF to platoon with Lagares. Who knows…
I’d be shocked if Joc Pederson was the PTBNL for Curtis Granderson. His potential alone should fetch more than a well past prime rental. If the Dodgers decide to move on from Pederson this offseason it should be in a package to land a much bigger fish.
Hopefully Joc isn’t heading down Colby Rasmus lane. Tonne of talent, couldn’t get himself (or his dad) out of his head. Good power and decent defensively, but couldn’t hit for average.
What they need to do is buy out A Gon. Unless he’s okay with a bench rule and maybe 1 start a year. They don’t need him. He’s a DH. Make a trade with the Yankees.
I see a lot of similarities between Joc and Matt Kemp. The two have early success and then get complacent. In my opinion Joc got comfortable and stopped “working”. Seager and now Bellinger have passed him by and I now think it’s in his head. The days of Pederson being the everyday Dodgers centerfielder have come to an end.
Pederson’s demotion was long over due. Bellinger belongs at first because he’s earned it. Gonzales should be a bench player.
Dodgers going through a lot of changes for a team on pace for the regular season record for wins. Joc gone, Bellinger down with injury playing out of position to accommodate A Gon, Kike Hernandez reduced role w Granderson playing regularly in outfield. Weird