SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Joctober is finally coming home.
The Giants found their lineup boost on Wednesday, reportedly agreeing to a deal with Palo Alto native Joc Pederson, the powerful lefty bat they’ve been seeking. The agreement, first reported by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, is a one-year deal worth $6 million, according to reporter Jon Heyman.
Pederson, 29, is a former Palo Alto High star who previously played for Farhan Zaidi in Los Angeles. In seven seasons with the Dodgers, Pederson reached 25 homers four times. The left-handed hitter spent last season with the Cubs and Braves, posting a .732 OPS and hitting 18 homers while winning a World Series title.
Pederson fits the Giants’ platoon preferences well. He is one of the game’s most dangerous hitters against right-handed pitching, with a .341 on-base percentage and .490 slugging percentage. The Giants had been looking for one more left-handed bat after the universal DH opened up another lineup spot.
In addition to the local ties, Pederson has plenty of connections to the roster. He used to catch up with Zaidi before every Giants-Dodgers series and is friends with Brandon Crawford, Alex Wood, Hunter Bishop among others.
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