The Texas Rangers won the World Series in 2023, missing the playoffs in 2024, finishing 78-84.
After a disappointing year after a World Series title, the Rangers made some moves this offseason in an effort to return to the postseason in 2025.
One of those moves was the addition of Joc Pederson from the Arizona Diamondbacks after he signed a two-year deal with the Rangers.
Pederson sent a warning to the rest of the American League West after he signed with the Rangers.
“It’s time for us to take over the AL West,” Pederson said via Channel X’s B/R Walk-Off.
Joc Pederson calls his shot in a new division 👀 pic.twitter.com/qaUpctogdh
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 31, 2024
Pederson is an 11-year MLB veteran who broke into the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014, and the Rangers will be his sixth different team for which he has played.
Pederson played in 132 games with the Diamondbacks in 2024, where he batted .275 with 23 home runs, 64 RBIs and a .908 OPS.
The 32-year-old slugger proved he still has some pop left in his bat, and he’ll look to bolster this Rangers offense to return to the playoffs next season.
Although the Rangers won the World Series in 2023, they haven’t won the AL West title since 2016, largely due to the Houston Astros’ dominance of the division.
The Rangers also added outfielder Jake Burger in a trade with the Miami Marlins to bolster their offense.
With an Astros team that appears to be losing some of its best weapons, the door to an AL West title could be wide open as of the 2025 season.
