As the Arizona Diamondbacks join Major League Baseball's 29 other teams in navigating the early days of the offseason, there are questions about what the Diamondbacks will do to address their biggest issues. 

According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Arizona needs to focus on bullpen help and left-handed hitters. 

Last season, the Diamondbacks struggled against right-handed pitching, registering only a .235 batting average with a .697 OPS that ranked 26th in the sport. There are a lot of options Arizona can pursue on the pitching side of things, but what do those options look like that can address their hitting struggles against righties? 

One player they could pursue is veteran designated hitter Joc Pederson. 

Pederson, 34, has spent the last two seasons with the Texas Rangers, but in 2024, he was a member of the Diamondbacks. 

During his time in Arizona, Pederson was productive. Over 132 games and 367 at-bats, he posted a .275 batting average, a .393 on-base percentage, a .515 slugging percentage and a .908 OPS with 23 home runs and 64 RBIs.

Upon signing with Texas, Pederson proceeded to have a brutal 2025 season in which he dealt with injuries that limited him to just 96 games. His slash line plummeted to .181/.285/.328, and his OPS took the worst hit of all as it fell to .613. 

However, Pederson was able to bounce back in 2026. While he did not replicate some of the career-high marks he posted with Arizona two years prior, he was healthier. He appeared in 40 more games while bringing his batting average back up to .235, his on-base percentage to .329, his slugging percentage to .487 and his OPS to .816. 

He also hit 26 home runs, the most since his 2019 season.

Recently, Steve Adams, Anthony Franco, and Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors put together a list of free agents while predicting how much they will be paid on their next deal and which team they will end up with. 

Their prediction concerning Pederson led to him landing a one-year, $14 million contract, and Franco and McDonald both chose the Diamondbacks as his next destination. 

Pederson has demonstrated that he can provide exactly what Arizona needs. During the 2026 season, he took 343 at-bats against right-handers and posted a .245 batting average, a .338 on-base percentage, a .496 slugging percentage, and an .834 OPS. 25 of his home runs also came against righties. 

If Arizona is interested in reuniting with Pederson, a one-year deal may be enticing. After all, he had one of his best years as a pro with the Diamondbacks, and he could be a difference-maker in their offense.