After a slow start to the season Joc Pederson has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence since returning from the concussion disabled list. Pederson’s latest exploits was a three-run home run provided insurance for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
That Pederson’s late-game hit extended the lead was key, but it was more noteworthy in that it came off Jose Alvarez. It was Pederson’s first home run off a lefty this season, and eighth overall.
He attributed some of the success to taking batting practice from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, a left-hander. “It’s going well, it’s a nice little routine we’ve built,” Pederson said.
“Even without the results, I think I would stick to it and continue to it.” Roberts, for his part is more than happy to continue throwing to Pederson and any others on the team.
While that may be factoring into Pederson’s improvement at the plate, time with Triple-A Oklahoma City is likely the primary reason. It afforded the young center fielder time with hitting coach Shawn Wooten.
“He definitely found something in my swing that I was not doing, that I was doing last year,” Pederson said. “It’s paying off. The first day I got there he showed me, and luckily he’s in town now to keep an eye on it.
“I was hitting a lot of balls really hard on the ground, so he showed me something I wasn’t doing that was causing that.”
Pederson has five doubles, five home runs, a .489 wOBA and 210 wRC+ over 15 games (13 starts) after he was reinstated from the disabled list. He’d hit just six doubles, two home runs, a .282 wOBA and 74 wRC+ in 35 games (27 starts) before sustaining the concussion.
Prior to offering that information as a possible explanation for his turnaround, Pederson joked perhaps Yasiel Puig aided in that by delivering the blow that led to a concussion.
“Maybe it knocked some sense into me,” Pederson quipped.
