Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson has declined the end of his mutual option and will test free agency, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The 32-year-old slugger enjoyed a fantastic season in the desert in 2024, posting a career-best .275/.393/.515 slash line with 23 home runs and 64 RBI. Even though Pederson was in a strict platoon, he was still a valuable fantasy contributor during the entire season. He boasted a stellar 12.8% barrel rate and 46.2% hard-hit rate under the hood. Fantasy managers should expect Pederson to continue to be deployed on the strong side of a platoon in 2025, but he should still be a popular target for power, given his excellent underlying metrics.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson is out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the division-rival San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park with a left-hander on the mound. With Pederson starting on the bench versus a southpaw, like usual, first baseman Josh Bell will serve as the DH and will bat third against Giants lefty Blake Snell. Bell has only faced Snell three times in his career, but his one hit against him was a solo home run. Pederson has only faced left-handers 38 times all year, so by this point in the season, fantasy managers should be used to sitting him when the D-backs are facing a left-hander. He's gone 7-for-29 (.241) against southpaws with only one of his 21 home runs on the season. The veteran lefty slugger has been cold of late, batting .200 (4-for-20) with a homer, two RBI and eight strikeouts in his last eight games since Aug. 25.
Joc Pederson, Adrian Del Castillo Out Against A Southpaw
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson and rookie catcher Adrian Del Castillo are both out for Thursday's series finale against the visiting New York Mets at Chase Field. Randal Grichuk is serving as Arizona's DH and is in the two-hole, while Jose Herrera is doing the catching and batting ninth against Mets left-hander David Peterson. It should be no surprise that Pederson is sitting, as he has seen only 36 plate appearances all year against southpaws, going 6-for-27 (.222) against them with only one of his 21 homers. Del Castillo has been a revelation since taking over for the injured Gabriel Moreno behind the plate, batting .354 (17-for-48) with three homers and 14 RBI in his first 14 big-league games. Grichuk might be worth a look in DFS lineups; he's hit .429 with a .929 OPS in seven career at-bats against Peterson.
Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson went deep in Monday's series-opening win over the hosting Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park. Pederson lined a solo home run off Marlins right-hander Adam Oller to the second deck in right field, making it a 5-1 lead for the D-backs in the fifth inning of Monday's victory over Miami. The 32-year-old veteran slugger may not be a high-end mixed-league fantasy contributor due to his lack of playing time against left-handed pitching, but over his last 24 games, he's hitting a strong .365 (23-for-63) with seven homers, 19 RBI, and 16 runs scored as Arizona's primary DH against right-handed pitching.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson is out of the starting lineup on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field despite a right-hander being on the mound. It appears to just be a day of rest for the 32-year-old veteran left-handed hitter. With Pederson on the bench, Randal Grichuk will serve as Arizona's DH and will hit sixth against Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen. Grichuk is typically only a DFS play when he's in the lineup against left-handed hurlers. The 33-year-old veteran has hit just .229 (16-for-70) with three of his four home runs this year against righties. He's never faced Rasmussen in his career. Pederson is having a strong first year in the desert and is currently slashing .287/.395/.545 with a career-best .940 OPS, 19 homers and 55 RBI in 101 games played.
Joc Pederson Smacks Pinch-Hit Go-Ahead Homer Monday
Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson smacked a pinch-hit go-ahead homer Monday night in a 7-6 extra-inning victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Pederson entered the game in the top of the eighth inning with a runner on first with one out. Pinch-hitting for Kevin Newman, Pederson took advantage of a full-count hanging curveball to give the Diamondbacks the lead. The veteran started the game on the bench with a southpaw on the mound, entered the contest in a big moment, and came up clutch for the Snakes. The lefty slugger is scorching hot at the plate in August with a 4-for-10 line with three home runs and seven RBI. Despite the platoon, he is having one of his best seasons ever, and his .285 batting average would be the highest of his career if the season ended today. Despite being in a platoon, Pederson is putting up enough numbers in the limited playing time he's receiving to make him worth rostering in most leagues.
With a left-hander on the mound for Monday's contest against the hosting Cleveland Guardians, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielders Joc Pederson and Alek Thomas will both get the day off. Ketel Marte will serve as the designated hitter and will bat leadoff, while Jake McCarthy will start in center field and will hit sixth versus Guardians lefty Logan Allen. Kevin Newman draws into the lineup at the keystone and will hit eighth for the Snakes. Pederson only has seen 25 plate appearances against lefties in 2024, so fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised that he's not starting on Monday. Against righties, though, he's been solid, hitting .289 (69-for-239) with 16 of his 17 home runs on the year. Thomas has only been afforded 81 at-bats this year due to injuries and is hitting a lowly .210 (17-for-81) with three homers, 17 RBI and three steals. He's not an option for fantasy managers in mixed leagues.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo are not in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the hosting Kansas City Royals with left-hander Cole Ragans toeing the rubber. Randal Grichuk is serving as the DH for Arizona and will hit fifth, while Kevin Newman is at the 6 and batting eighth versus Ragans. Pederson has only 21 plate appearances against lefties in 2024 and is hitting .177 (3-for-17) against them with one of his 13 homers on the year, so it's no surprise he's on the bench to kick off the week. Grichuk and Newman have both faced Ragans just once in their career and have come away hitless. Grichuk hasn't displayed much power in 155 at-bats in Arizona in 2024, but he's hitting an impressive .284, including a .300/.363/.420 slash line against southpaws with a homer and 17 RBI in 100 at-bats.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson will start on the bench for the start of the second half of the season on Friday at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs and left-hander Justin Steele. Veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk will serve as Arizona's DH and will hit fifth against Steele in the series opener. Pederson is having a fine season in his first year in the desert, but he's hitting just .125 (2-for-16) with one of his 13 home runs on the season against left-handed pitching, so he'll give way to Grichuk in this one. Grichuk is batting a very respectable .279 (41-for-147) with limited playing time for the Snakes in 2024 but has just three home runs and 21 RBI, making him a low-upside DFS play for Friday's slate. He's gone 28-for-95 (.295) with one of his three homers against southpaws this season.
Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Friday's 10-8 loss to the Padres. After hitting just .235 in June, Pederson is now 5-for-13 (.385) to start July, going deep in back-to-back games and in three of the last four contests. Despite playing only against right-handed pitching, the veteran has made the most of his opportunities and is having one of his finest seasons as a pro. The 32-year-old has a .289-13-38-34-4 line with a .395 wOBA and 158 wRC+.
