3 Free Agents the Guardians Must Target This Offseason (and 2 to Avoid)
By Tyler Maher
2. TARGET: Joc Pederson
Similar to Duvall, Pederson is another veteran outfielder worth targeting.
He's been a steady source of power throughout his 10-year MLB career, topping 20 homers five times. He's also hit everywhere he's gone, which includes stints with four separate teams at this point.
Unlike Duvall, Pederson has a strong batting eye and is skilled at getting on base. He's posted an OBP over .350 in each of the last two seasons and has been above average at reaching base throughout his career.
Pederson's going to be 32 next year, so he's not terribly old for a free agent. He's mostly DH'ed this year but has experience playing all three outfield positions if needed.
A guy who can hit 15-20 homers and get on base is exactly what we need, and Pederson should be pretty affordable. There wasn't much of a market for him last winter despite coming off an All-Star campaign in 2022, and he ended up accepting the qualifying offer. He should be in our price range and looks like a good fit for the lineup.