The Joc-Pederson-at-first-base experiment must end … now!

Give him kudos for being a team player and for trying to learn a significantly different position in the middle of the regular season. But his errors by commission and omission are hurting the team, many of which are not recorded on his stat page. After years of watching Gold Glove-quality defense at first base from Gil Hodges, Wes Parker, Steve Garvey, James Loney, Adrian Gonzalez, and even current teammates Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, David Freese (when healthy) and Matt Beaty, Pederson’s first base “defense” is painful to watch.

There is nothing routine about a routine ground ball to Joc Pederson at first base.

(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)

By no means is this meant to slam Pederson, just the opposite, in fact. As a left field platoon player facing right-handed pitching, Joc is on pace to hit 40 home runs in 2019 and currently has an on-base plus slugging (OPS) of .924; All-Star caliber numbers. He also owns an excellent fielding percentage (FPCT) of .987 as a left fielder. At first base … not so much (.967).

Platooning Pederson with soon-to-be-returning (from the injured list) A.J. Pollock in left field, with Alex Verdugo in center, and Bellinger in right, would be one of the best offensive and defensive outfields in Major League Baseball.

So what’s the problem? Why not simply Platoon Joc and Pollock in left field, Muncy at first base, and call-up Dodgers top infield prospect Gavin Lux to play second base? Lux, who was just promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City, is the Dodgers real top position-player prospect, not catcher Keibert Ruiz.

The problem is that the Dodgers apparently promised Pollock (and his lofty 4-year / $55 million contract which runs through 2022 with a player option for 2023) that he would be their everyday center fielder and would not be platooned.

On paper, the Dodgers have several options, but realistically, it comes down to either platooning Pederson and Freese at first base, or trading Joc. (Verdugo and Pollock aren’t going to be traded).

Trading Pederson, a soon-to-be two-time All-Star, for help in the bullpen seems like the best option, if not the only viable option. With the development of left-handed-hitting Matt Beaty and the return of two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger shortstop Corey Seager after the All-Star break will free up Chris Taylor for second base and / or the outfield, and the performance of left-handed-hitting outfield prospect Zach Reks at OKC, there is more than enough depth for Pederson to be traded.

Trade for whom? Great question – one to be addressed in a future article.

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