Joc Pederson, who spent the 2023 season with the San Francisco Giants, had Philadelphia Phillies fans on the edge of their seats with his recent Instagram post.
The 31-year-old left-handed bat posted a picture of himself and the Phillies mascot. He even tagged Citizens Bank Park as the location.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C0hOA1pxppP/
While Pederson doesn't seem to have any deal with Philadelphia, this could be an indication that something's in the works.
However, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com says there isn't. Todd reported the following about Pederson's post:
"Joc Pederson posted a cool/funny photo of him and the Phanatic on IG, but it doesn't mean he's signing with the Phillies. They haven't even talked this offseason. What a job!"
This is an interesting situation and not one that typically happens. Perhaps Pederson wants to land in Philadelphia and is giving the front office a hint. Perhaps his time with the Atlanta Braves made him dislike the Phillies and he wanted to mess around with the fan base.
Joc slashed .235/.348/.416 in what was considered a down year for him. The power hitter dealt with injuries and only hit 15 home runs.
For the Phillies, this could be a good signing if it does become true. Pederson has not only proven to be a fan favorite but someone who can help an offense.
The team does need another outfielder and Pederson has played out there for most of his career. However, he's not a great defender and would likely be more of a DH.
More must-reads: