Coming off a year in which they finally broke through and won the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers lost a few key players in free agency, with outfielder Joc Pederson among them.
Pederson spent 10 years in the Dodgers organization, having some quality seasons while also regularly delivering in big moments during the postseason. But with the Dodgers having a loaded outfield that features Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger and AJ Pollock, it was apparent Pederson likely was poised to move on.
It took a while for the 28-year-old to find a new home, which he recently did by signing a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs.
In a goodbye piece he wrote for The Players Tribune, Pederson voiced is appreciation for Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman an understanding of the situation:
I won’t speak on the Dodgers’ behalf about their reasoning, other than to say two things. One: Andrew Friedman, I have a lot of respect for that dude. He was always a straight shooter, even when he was telling me the team probably wasn’t making an offer to bring me back. I’ll always appreciate him for it. Two: Obviously our team last year was just so, so loaded. We went 43–17, and won a World Series. You don’t go on a run like that without having an absolutely stacked roster. And with a roster as stacked as ours, you can’t prioritize everyone. I get that.
Pederson additionally included a thank you to the organization, teammates and fans, and also confirmed the main reason he signed with the Cubs was an opportunity to play every day. Due to his inability to hit left-handed pitching, Pederson was often platooned during his time in L.A.
Pederson happy to move on but admits it’s difficult
Pederson also revealed that while he is happy to be moving on to a new chapter of his career, it is also difficult because of the strong relationships he made with the Dodgers.
That comes as no surprise considering the team won the National League West every season Pederson was on the team and of course capped off that stretch with a World Series championship. He will forever be remembered for his contributions, and there is no doubt everyone with the Dodgers wishes him the best of luck moving forward.
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