Joc Pederson says there’s a brand new sheriff within the AL West.
The slugger stated the Rangers are primed to overhaul the back-to-back-to-back-to-back division champion Astros after he signed a two-year, $37 million contract with Texas this offseason.
“There’s a lot of things lining up for us to go on a nice run,” Pederson stated Tuesday in his introductory press convention. “In the playoffs, played the Astros a couple times in the World Series. They put together a nice little run and it’s coming to an end and it’s time for us to take over the West. So, like I said, there’s a lot of things that are going in the right direction for the Rangers to be on top of this division.”
The AL West has became the Astros invitational in latest historical past with Houston profitable the division in 4 straight seasons and 7 instances within the final eight years.
The one blip in that stretch got here within the 2020 COVID-shortened season.
The Rangers, in the meantime, haven’t gained a division title since 2016 however have gained the World Sequence on this stretch, even downing the Astros within the 2023 ALCS en path to their title.
Pederson’s feedback come as Houston seems to be at its most susceptible with lineup staples Kyle Tucker being traded to the Cubs this offseason and Alex Bregman seeming set to go away in free company.
Betting towards Houston is just not a sound technique, however this can be one of the best likelihood for the Rangers, Mariners, A’s and Angels to dethrone them in fairly a while.
The Rangers have been energetic in free company, including Pederson, catcher Kyle Higashioka, former Marlins slugger Jake Burger and re-signing Nathan Eovaldi.
In addition they traded first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to the Nationals.
Texas went 78-84 final season.
“You talk to a lot of the teams and they want to win the World Series and do this stuff at the start. I told [general manager Chris Young], ‘All we got to do is get to the playoffs.’ You let [manager Bruce] Bochy do what Bochy does in the playoffs, usually comes well,” Pederson stated. “You add in a sprinkle of [shortstop Corey] Seager in there, next thing you know we’re all walking around with more rings.”
