Joc Pederson is the gift that keeps on giving. Each fan base gets to enjoy him for a little bit before he flies away, and he gave Braves Country a lifetime of memories in just a few months.
Acquired at the 2021 trade deadline, Joc Pederson would go on to help fill the void left by Ronald Acuna Jr., but more than Adam Duvall, Jorge Soler, and Eddie Rosario, who also bolstered the outfield, Joc provided a spark that a stat sheet couldn’t comprehend.
Whether it was the wine or the pearls, the fun-loving veteran lightened the mood in Atlanta’s clubhouse and was an integral piece of the World Series run. Even three years later, Pederson is still making Braves fans smile.
At his introductory press conference after signing with the Rangers, Pederson provided the Texas fans with a microcosm of who he’ll be for them, calling out the Astros and their stranglehold on the AL West.
“Played the Astros a couple times in the World Series. They’ve put together a nice little run. It’s coming to an end, and it’s time for us to take over the West,” Pederson said.
Joc is intimately familiar with the Astros, facing off against them in 2017 World Series with the Dodgers, a championship under tremendous controversy. But he ended up getting revenge with the Braves four years later, beating Houston in six games.
The Astros have won the division in seven of the last eight years, but the Rangers have raised the Commissioner’s Trophy themselves. Braves fans will always hold Joc Pederson near and dear. Now, it’s the Rangers fans’ turn to fall in love with him.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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