Three takeaways from the SF Giants sweep of the Guardians

Three takeaways from the SF Giants sweep of the Guardians

3. Joc Pederson is off to a good start

It is still early, so drawing any meaningful conclusions from a small sample is an exercise in futility. With that being said, small samples are all we have at the moment and Joc Pederson is off to a nice start for the Giants.

Pederson represented the only significant addition to the lineup made by the front office as he inked a one-year, $6 million deal. Many Giants fans wanted the front office to make another move or two, but the Pederson addition has paid some early dividends.

The power-hitting outfielder is slashing .364/.417/.636 with two home runs, two RBI, and five runs across 24 plate appearances. Pederson has added a patient approach to the lineup as he has averaged 4.35 pitches per plate appearance.

When he does swing, the left-handed has consistently made loud contact, recording a 98.9-MPH average exit velocity and barreling up 23.1 percent of bated balls. The Giants intend to use Pederson strictly against right-handed pitching, so he should see plenty of playing time if these numbers continue.

While many key bats including Brandon Crawford and Mike Yastrzemski have struggled to start the season, Pederson along with Thairo Estrada, Joey Bart, and Brandon Belt have given the offense just enough production to win. Hopefully, these promising trends continue for Pederson.