After a career-worst season, Joc Pederson’s resurgence at the top of the lineup propelled the Texas Rangers into a high-stakes postseason race.
The Texas Rangers have established a new franchise record with 11 leadoff home runs this season, with Ezequiel Durán providing the latest one Wednesday afternoon against the Athletics.
Durán turned on a 1-1 slider from Jacob Lopez and sent it a Statcast-projected 406 feet over the left-field wall at Globe Life Field. It was the first leadoff homer of Durán’s career.
Joc Pederson has accounted for eight of the Rangers’ other 10 leadoff home runs.
Marcus Semien owns Texas’ individual single-season record with 10 leadoff home runs in 2023. Pederson’s eight are tied for second-most in one season in franchise history, including the organization’s years as the Washington Senators.
Pederson thriving in new role
Pederson’s success represents a significant turnaround from his first season with Texas.
He hit .181/.285/.328 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs in 96 games in 2025. Pederson finished last in batting average among 277 players with at least 300 plate appearances,
His struggles continued early this season.
Pederson was hitting .225 with 25 strikeouts and five extra-base hits through 37 games before Rangers manager Skip Schumaker moved him into the leadoff spot on May 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Pederson told MLB.com that the role was familiar because he has spent much of his career leading off. He viewed last season as a blunder and believed his improvement coincided with simply beginning to feel comfortable again.
Peterson is hitting .235 with 24 home runs, 49 RBIs and an .811 OPS in 127 games this season.
He is a .236 hitter with 242 home runs, 624 RBIs and a .799 OPS in 1,496 career games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Diamondbacks and Rangers.
Pederson is in the second season of a two-year, $37 million contract that includes a mutual option for 2027. He is a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion. His father, Stu Pederson, also played in MLB.
Pederson’s success
Pederson admitted he cannot pinpoint exactly why the leadoff role has worked so well after his difficult 2025 season.
Schumaker nevertheless sees a clear difference.
After Texas’ 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 7, the manager explained that the Rangers had been struggling offensively before Pederson’s comeback season and that moving him to leadoff appeared to change his identity as a hitter.
Pederson’s experience makes him particularly suited to handle that responsibility.
He understands how to begin games with a disciplined approach rather than trying to manufacture immediate offense.
His patience can force pitchers to work while giving teammates an early look at their repertoire.
Pederson also possesses the power to punish mistakes immediately, creating pressure before an opponent settles into the game.
His willingness to embrace a familiar role after a difficult season also speaks to his resilience.
The Rangers are in the middle of a close postseason race, two games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West and 1.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the race for the last American League Wild Card spot.
Texas needed an offensive spark.
Pederson’s combination of patience, power and experience has helped provide one from the very first plate appearance.
