Headlines

  • Mets Option Kodai Senga
  • NPB’s Kazuma Okamoto, Tatsuya Imai Expected To Be Posted For MLB Teams
  • Shelby Miller Likely Headed For Tommy John Surgery
  • Red Sox To Place Roman Anthony On Injured List
  • Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diagnosed With Torn ACL
  • Braves Claim Ha-Seong Kim From Rays
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Joc Pederson’s Contract Allows Rangers To Override Opt-Out By Exercising 2027 Option

By Steve Adams | January 8, 2025 at 8:50am CDT

The Rangers’ two-year, $37MM deal with slugger Joc Pederson was agreed to late last month and announced shortly before the New Year, but it seems full details of the arrangement weren’t made clear at the time. It’s already known that Pederson’s deal contains a mutual option for 2027 and that he can opt out of his contract following the 2025 season. However, the Associated Press reports that the Rangers can override Pederson’s opt-out by exercising that mutual option a year in advance. The contract also contains a no-trade clause, per the AP.

Effectively, if Pederson signals his intent to opt out, the Rangers can veto his return to the open market by agreeing to commit another two years and $37MM. It could become an even pricier commitment for Texas, though, as Pederson’s contract contains escalators that would boost his 2026-27 salaries up to $21.5MM in the event that he wins a Silver Slugger or is named to the All-MLB team (first or second team) at season’s end. That’d mean committing two years and $43MM to Pederson in order to override the opt-out. Paired with his $5.5MM signing bonus and $13MM salary in 2025, Pederson’s contract can max out at a hefty $61.5MM over three years if he turns in a big enough season.

Pederson, 33 in April, has never won a Silver Slugger Award or earned All-MLB honors (dating back to the inception of the All-MLB teams in 2019). He certainly has enough pop in his bat to do so, but his long-running struggles against left-handed pitching have both weighed down his rate stats and likely kept him from accumulating the playing time to mash his way into consideration. Pederson is just a .210/.300/.330 hitter in his career against southpaws, compared to a .246/.349/.494 output against righties. The D-backs afforded him only 42 plate appearances against lefties last year (.219/.405/.344), but Pederson decimated righties with a .281/.392/.531 showing.

Even absent the escalators, the revelations of a no-trade clause and the team’s ability to override Pederson’s opt-out provision are plenty notable on their own. Texas, after all, was willing to commit a guaranteed two years and $37MM to Pederson this offseason. If he performs to expectations, they’ll essentially have the option to make that same commitment for his age-34 and age-35 seasons, which would lock the slugger in as a Ranger through 2027.

It’s also worth pointing out that there’s no scenario where Pederson can opt out and receive a qualifying offer from the team; Pederson already received (and accepted) a qualifying offer from the Giants following his All-Star 2022 season. Players can only receive one qualifying offer in their career. As such, if Pederson triggers his opt-out in November, the Rangers’ choices will be to extend him for another two years or to let him return to the open market with no compensation for his potential departure.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Texas Rangers Joc Pederson

The Opener: Giants, Extensions, DFA Limbo
Main
Royals Re-Sign Michael Lorenzen
View Comments (13)
Post a Comment

13 Comments

  1. ArianaGrandSlam

    8 months ago

    Ok next please.

    Reply
  2. BobinTexas

    8 months ago

    The contract details tell me that Texas LOVES the guy. And with how he mashes RHH, I can see why. This is the heftiest contract I can ever remember for a strong-side platoon hitter, but his track record tells me he is worth it.

    4
    Reply
    • WadeBoggsWildRide

      8 months ago

      He should do well in Texas.

      1
      Reply
    • CarolinaCubsandKush

      8 months ago

      Agreed. Pretty solid contract for Joc considering he can’t hit lefties.

      1
      Reply
    • A'sfaninLondonUK

      8 months ago

      @Bobin Texas

      Agreed. Really like Joc as an individual, but for his agency to get (potentially) 4 x 18.5 million for a platoon player is astounding. He has one decent season since 2019. Good luck to him & good luck to the Rangers. If I was looking to change agent, I’d be looking away from Boras right now… my blind hamster could have got Soto his money, and been full of sunflower seeds too….

      1
      Reply
  3. wu tang killa beez

    8 months ago

    I’ve always been a fan of Joc. He is worth the money, he’s a proven veteran ball player

    3
    Reply
  4. The Ranger Fan

    8 months ago

    I like how the contract is very incentive laden, Texas want Joc to perform at his highest level yet and earn that $61.5 million, and if he does it could mean others are clicking in Texas.

    2
    Reply
  5. choof

    8 months ago

    He’s become a regular John Lowenstein

    Reply
  6. paddyo furnichuh

    8 months ago

    @Russianboy…..Easily? As much I like Joc, There are 10 better LHHs in the game.

    Maybe you meant top 10 in mashing RHPs? I’d maybe agree with that.

    But his lack of success against LHP makes top 10 LHH a bit iffy.

    Ohtani, Soto, Alvarez, Harper, Schwarber, Merrill, Olson,Devers, Freeman,& Seager are all better LHHs. Not even counting switch hitters like Lindor or Santander.

    Joc mashes RHPs, but settle down with top 10 LHHs in MLB silliness.

    4
    Reply
    • paddyo furnichuh

      8 months ago

      But he can’t post because he sits against LHPs. Maybe check out another single stat like total bases. His rate stats are great in part because he’s a part-time player. Using one rate stat like OPS+ is flawed, as is always the case when simply using one metric or statistic.

      Bottom line, he rakes vs RHPs, but sits versus LHPs. The other 10 LHHs Inmentioned may not all mash RHPs, but are overall better as they post (meaning they play everyday because they don’t have as extreme of platoon splits).

      2
      Reply
  7. WadeBoggsWildRide

    8 months ago

    Wish both Pederson and Seager were still Dodgers. Rangers are now my AL team. Hope Kershaw doesn’t follow! Then all they would need is Belly and JT and they’d have the band back together.

    2
    Reply
  8. LordD99

    8 months ago

    I wouldn’t be worried about those contract escalators. The Rangers will be happy to get a good 2025 from him and move on.

    3
    Reply
  9. onenatsfan

    8 months ago

    I love how creative some of these contracts are becoming.

    1
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Mets Option Kodai Senga

    NPB’s Kazuma Okamoto, Tatsuya Imai Expected To Be Posted For MLB Teams

    Shelby Miller Likely Headed For Tommy John Surgery

    Red Sox To Place Roman Anthony On Injured List

    Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diagnosed With Torn ACL

    Braves Claim Ha-Seong Kim From Rays

    Jason Adam Likely Headed For Season-Ending Quad Surgery

    Mariners Promote Harry Ford, Release Donovan Solano

    Phillies Sign Walker Buehler To Minors Contract

    Red Sox Extend Aroldis Chapman

    Administrative Leave For Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz Extended “Until Further Notice”

    Cubs To Sign Carlos Santana

    Red Sox Release Walker Buehler

    Pirates Place Isiah Kiner-Falefa On Outright Waivers

    Randy Rodriguez Recommended To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Padres Place Xander Bogaerts On IL With Foot Fracture

    Cardinals To Promote Jimmy Crooks

    Red Sox To Promote Payton Tolle

    Corey Seager To Undergo Appendectomy, Not Ruled Out For Season

    Frankie Montas To Undergo UCL Surgery

    Recent

    Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

    Diamondbacks Claim Elvin Rodriguez

    Marlins Announce Several Roster Moves

    White Sox Select Dominic Fletcher

    Tigers Place Kyle Finnegan On Injured List, Activate Parker Meadows

    Nationals Outright Darren Baker

    Mets Option Kodai Senga

    Twins Outright Noah Davis

    Poll: Who Will Round Out The AL Playoff Field?

    The Opener: Sproat, Brewers, Jays, Yankees

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version