For more than a year, Joc Pederson has been one of the most criticized players on the Texas Rangers roster. Now, the production that justified his contract is finally beginning to show.

Pederson continued his strong stretch Friday against the Kansas City Royals with another home run, and while he admitted afterward that he cannot fully explain the turnaround, he suggested this version of himself is closer to the player he has been throughout most of his career.

He also acknowledged that had he known the answer sooner, last season would have looked much different.

“I think it’s who I am,” Pederson said after the game. “I’ve done this for a long time. I just kind of do it. If I knew [why], then I wouldn’t have sucked all last year.”

Entering Monday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Pederson owns a .238/.353/.441 slash line with eight home runs, 18 RBIs, and a .793 OPS in 55 games, his best mark across his two seasons with Texas.

That production more closely resembles the hitter that the Rangers expected when they committed nearly $40 million over two years.

Pederson entered Texas coming off an excellent 2024 season with Arizona, where he slashed .275/.393/.515 with 23 home runs and 64 RBIs in 132 games.

Last year, however, injuries and inconsistency derailed his production. A fractured right thumb sidelined him for three months, and he finished with a .181/.285/.328 slash line, nine home runs, and 26 RBIs in 96 games.

Texas had limited flexibility to move on after the season because Pederson held a contract option and exercised it.

There were signs earlier this year that improvement was coming.

At one point in April, Pederson carried a .244 batting average before slipping back to .200 by May 5. Even during those struggles, his ability to draw walks and reach base remained intact, two areas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker has repeatedly emphasized.

Schumaker eventually made a notable adjustment.

On May 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he moved Pederson into the leadoff spot. It was not unfamiliar territory for Pederson during his career, but it was something Texas had not tried.

Entering that game, Pederson was slashing .225/.339/.326.

“Maybe getting him that extra at-bat, leading off against a right-hander, has also been big,” Schumaker said.

“I think back to the beginning of the season, and he was getting two at-bats at a time. It’s tough to get into rhythm in the five or six hole. Him being the leadoff spot provided him that extra at-bat and maybe that’s gotten him more in a rhythm.”

Six of his eight home runs came after the lineup change. His production in May pushed his batting average to .250 for the month.

Schumaker explained afterward that batting first may have helped Pederson establish a rhythm by creating more opportunities and giving him an extra at-bat against right-handed pitching. He also noted that hitting lower in the lineup earlier in the season sometimes limited those opportunities.

Pederson’s recent power surge has included meaningful contributions.

His home run Friday against Kansas City found its way just inside the right-field line, while Saturday’s homer carried more weight as part of a decisive three-run seventh inning.

Texas still needs more consistency from its lineup if it hopes to climb the standings and challenge for the American League West Division lead.

Pederson made clear the club is not viewing recent success as a turning point just yet. Instead, he emphasized that the Rangers still have more work to do and need to continue building momentum moving forward.

“I think we’re far away from flipping a switch,” Pederson explained. “I think it was a good night. I think we need to continue to build on it.”

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