To say that the 2025 season has not gone in accordance with plan for Joc Pederson and Josh Jung can be a significant understatement. However a minimum of for one night time, all was proper on the earth for each of them, being as productive because the Texas Rangers envisioned they might be heading into the season. Pederson and Jung got here up enormous for the Rangers on Monday in opposition to the New York Yankees, hitting the game-tying house run and a three-run walk-off dinger to energy Texas to an 8-5 victory.
Contemplating how a lot adversity these two have already battled in 2025, them remaining main contributors for the Rangers to depend on appeared relatively asinine. However the Rangers’ religion within the two paid off, a minimum of within the type of one emphatic victory. And Jon Grey, who has additionally battled his justifiable share of adversity himself (on the harm entrance), gave the 2 the flowers they deserved for exhibiting up when the group wanted them probably the most.
“That’s going to outline our ballclub. These guys have a ton of struggle and so they’re going to contribute. Higher now than by no means,” Grey stated after the Rangers’ win, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com.
The Rangers moved to 59-55 on the season with that win over the Yankees. Alas, if the season ended right now, they might not be making the playoffs, as they’re presently behind three groups (Boston Purple Sox, Seattle Mariners, and Yankees) within the Wild Card race.
However as Grey stated, it is higher for each Pederson and Jung to point out up now as an alternative of once they may not do something about their season.
Joc Pederson and Josh Jung to show it round for the Rangers?
The Rangers went out of their approach to signal Pederson to a two-year, $37 million contract in free company. However all they had been rewarded with was the worst season of the slugging lefty’s profession. Previous to his heroics for the Rangers on Monday, Pederson was slashing .126/.256/.217 in 2025 — along with his poor play being value -1.0 WAR (per Fangraphs).
Pederson was coming off a 2024 marketing campaign during which he slashed .275/.393/.515 with 23 house runs and 64 runs batted in, so for him to fall off a cliff was a bit unexpected. However he is likely to be but to show it round for the Rangers.
In the meantime, Jung has struggled fairly immensely from the plate in 2025 — even incomes himself a demotion to the minors earlier within the yr. He was slashing .249/.297/.385 earlier than he got here up clutch in opposition to the Yankees. Maybe this vaults the 27-year-old again to type.