Looks — and at least for this night, the stats — can be deceiving.
YES announcer Ryan Ruocco seemingly made a crack Monday about Rangers veteran Joc Pederson’s physique, with the broadcast noting his awful season moments before his game-tying homer off Devin Williams in the ninth inning of the Yankees’ eventual 8-5 walk-off loss in 10 innings at Globe Life Field.
“You can see the physique has definitely evolved for Joc,” Ruocco said before Pederson pulled an 84-mph changeup into the right field seats to tie the game at 5-5.
Pederson, 33, is now in his 12th season and has transformed over the years from a center fielder to a designated hitter.
Like most 30-year-olds, he’s seemingly put on some weight over the years.
He’s listed as 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, which Baseball Almanac actually lists as his weight from his rookie season, but a Reddit post shows a leaner Pederson during his Dodgers years from 2014-20, before he transitioned into more of a prototypical slugger in recent years.
Regardless of his size, Pederson produced a strong 2024 season with Arizona before inking a two-year, $37 million deal with the Rangers that has not worked out thus far.
Ruocco and David Cone noted he struggled when he walked to the plate with none on and one out in the ninth as Williams pursued a save.
“There he is, Joc Pederson, who has really struggled, ” Ruocco said, with Pederson’s .126 average, two homers, six RBIs and .473 OPS displayed on the YES broadcast.
Cone replied: “Stunning, those numbers are absolutely stunning from Joc Pederson, who signed a two-year, $20 million (sic) deal to come over here. Hitting .126.”
Ruocco mentioned how Pederson had a .908 OPS with the Diamondbacks last year before Williams missed high and outside with the first pitch.
Williams made the mistake in a 2-1 count, throwing a cookie that Pederson — even with his .126 average — did not miss.
“Devin Williams serves it up and Joc Pederson slams it out,” Ruocco said.
