JOC PEDERSON NEWS

Peralta pitches 5 innings as Brewers blank Cubs 4-0

Freddy Peralta pitched five sharp innings, Travis Shaw hit a three-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-0 to stop a three-game slide

APRIL 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Not starting Monday Pederson will not start Monday against the Brewers.

Impact Pederson started against the first lefty the Cubs faced, getting the nod against Tyler Anderson on Saturday. He'll sit against another left-handed Anderson (Brett) on Monday, with Ian Happ sliding to left field and Jake Marisnick starting in center. Just how often Pederson finds himself starting against same-sided pitching this season remains to be seen.

APRIL 5, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Zach Davies wins Chicago debut as Cubs beat Pirates 4-3

Zach Davies pitched into the sixth inning in his Chicago Cubs debut, leading his new team to a 4-3 victory over the short-handed Pittsburgh Pirates

APRIL 4, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Off to slow start Pederson is 0-for-6 with a walk and five strikeouts through his first two games.

Impact Pederson had a great spring training, registering a .378/.431/1.000 slash line in 18 games, but that hasn't translated to a fast start to the regular season. It is of course a very small sample size, and the 28-year-old outfielder has been a streaky performer in the past, so the hits could start coming soon.

APRIL 4, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Hayes homers, Pirates 2-hit Cubs 5-3 on chilly opening day

Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer and Pittsburgh’s relievers dominated in a two-hitter, helping the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on a chilly opening day

APRIL 1, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mad Bum gets opener for D-backs; Kluber is Yanks' No. 2

The Arizona Diamondbacks are ready to open the season in familiar fashion: with Mad Bum on the mound

MARCH 29, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Red Sox lefty Rodriguez scratched for opener with 'dead arm'

Boston Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez will have to wait a little longer before returning to a big league mound

MARCH 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mic'd up Rizzo calls fastball, and Joc homers Anthony Rizzo called it. Joc Pederson crushed it. In the first inning of Friday's game against the Giants, Rizzo watched Pederson's at-bat a...

MARCH 26, 2021 • MLB.COM

Locked On Dodgers: Bauer's Outage, Writers' Opening Day Rosters, and Indispensable Dodgers Click here to listen Trevor Bauer was really good, and then he was really bad. He had some thoughts about why, and Jeff has some thoughts ab...

MARCH 23, 2021 • BASEBALLESSENTIAL.COM

Fantasy baseball 2021: Nick Pivetta, Joc Pederson and a breakout on each of the 30 MLB teams We asked our MLB beat writers to give us the breakout player on their team for 2021.

MARCH 22, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Angels' Ohtani off to great start at plate in Cactus League

Shohei Ohtani is off to a great start at the plate in Cactus League play with four homers in his first 20 at-bats

MARCH 18, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ross thinks Chicago Cubs lineup will rebound in full season

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross thinks his team’s biggest offensive stars will rebound over the course of a more conventional season

MARCH 17, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bogaerts spring debut after shoulder woe, Tatis HR in return

Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts of the Boston Red Sox has made his spring training debut after being slowed by a sore right shoulder

MARCH 13, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Adds two more homers Pederson went 3-for-3 with two solo home runs and three runs scored in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Rockies.

Impact The game wasn't at Coors Field, but Pederson performed like it was. The outfielder has been on a tear to begin spring training, as he now has five home runs and a 2.071 OPS through seven games. Pederson should play every day for the Cubs and has the chance to put up good numbers in a lineup that also features the likes of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez and Willson Contreras.

MARCH 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Cole — and his dad — looking forward to return of fans

Gerrit Cole is looking forward to having his father at Yankee Stadium on opening day to watch him pitch in person in pinstripes for the first time

MARCH 11, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hot Joc fitting in right away with Cubs SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Cubs manager David Ross headed out to pick up some to-go food on a recent evening this spring. As Ross was walking, som...

MARCH 11, 2021 • MLB.COM

Goes deep again Pederson went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Athletics.

Impact The 28-year-old is fitting in nicely with the Cubs, as he now has a robust 1.672 OPS and three home runs this spring in six games. Pederson is essentially replacing Kyle Schwarber in Chicago, and after a rough 2020, eyes are on him to return to the form that saw the lefty slugger hit 36 homers for the Dodgers in 2019.

MARCH 10, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Now in Chisox 'pen, Kopech makes debut after 2020 opt-out

Michael Kopech is getting used to his new relief role with the Chicago White Sox

MARCH 10, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Arihara settles into 2nd start for Rangers, 3 solid innings

Kohei Arihara bounced back from a shaky spring training debut for the Texas Rangers, pitching three innings against the Chicago Cubs

MARCH 8, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Clubs second spring home run Pederson went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Brewers.

Impact Pederson is just 2-for-9 to begin spring training, but both of the hits have left the yard. That's pretty much par for the course with the outfielder, who batted just .190 last season but slugged seven home runs in 43 games. Pederson had a .249 average and 36 home runs in his last full season back in 2019. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect a great batting average in 2021, either, but the power should be there in Pederson's first season with the Cubs.

MARCH 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Seeing is believing: Bauer shuts eye, pitches shutout ball

What’s that piece of advice Little League coaches always tell their kid — keep your eye on the ball, right

MARCH 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Joc Pederson expects more freedom in left field in 2021 — and to earn his keep within the Chicago Cubs’ Gold Glove defense Joc Pederson is excited to have more freedom in left field and contribute to the vaunted Chicago Cubs defense.

MARCH 6, 2021 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM

Cactus League report: Lance Lynn can serve as a role model to young Chicago White Sox pitchers, and Joc Pederson on how his Cubs number is a tribute to Kobe Bryant Veteran pitcher Lance Lynn could serve as a good example for youngsters Michael Kopech and Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox manager Tony L...

MARCH 5, 2021 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM

Hits first spring home run Pederson went 1-for-2 with a walk and a two-run home run in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Mariners.

Impact Pederson hit his first home run of the spring and his first in a Cubs uniform. The 28-year-old outfielder batted cleanup, and he should slot into a prominent lineup spot during the regular season. The Cubs also sound committed to letting Pederson play every day and face lefties, which could help his counting stats but possibly act as a drain on his batting average if he struggles against southpaws.

MARCH 4, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Looks forward to playing daily Pederson said he is eager to take on an everyday role with the Cubs and face more left-handed pitching, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Impact While in Los Angeles, Pederson rarely faced lefties, registering an average of 54 plate appearances per season against southpaws between 2017 and 2019, and only 10 in the abbreviated 2020 campaign. However, Chicago manager David Ross has indicated that Pederson could play more frequently against lefties. This could help the 28-year-old approach the 151 games he played back in 2015, his second season in the majors.

FEBRUARY 27, 2021 • ROTOWIRE