MLB Rumors: Joc Pederson, Phillies Haven't Reached FA Contract Despite IG Photo

Joc Pederson's Instagram post is apparently not an indication he has agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The two-time All-Star posted a picture of himself with the Phillie Phanatic that's captioned, "It's always sunny in Philadelphia."

Despite this strong indication something might be happening, Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported a Phillies source said they haven't signed Pederson.

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki noted the Phillies and Pederson's camp haven't even talked this offseason.

The speculation about Pederson and Philadelphia didn't make much sense from a roster-construction standpoint. Phillies president Dave Dombrowski has said they won't attempt to bring back Rhys Hoskins, in part because they already have too many players for the outfield, first base and DH spot.

Bryce Harper is going to be the full-time first baseman in 2024 after learning the position last season when he returned from Tommy John surgery. Kyle Schwarber will likely be the primary DH, with Nick Castellanos and Brandon Marsh playing in the outfield corners.

Pederson does have experience playing center field, but it's probably not a viable spot for him at this stage of his career. Plus, Johan Rojas is coming off a good rookie season with a .302/.340/.430 slash line in 59 games. He had the fourth-best UZR per 150 games played among all center fielders in 2023.

After retaining Aaron Nola early in free agency by giving him a seven-year, $172 million contract, the Phillies have other areas they need to worry about besides outfield depth. They could still use another back-end starter and the bullpen is a big question mark.

Pederson hit .235/.348/.416 with 15 homers in 121 games with the San Francisco Giants last season. He will be a valuable addition to a team looking for a low-cost alternative to some of the top-tier position players, but the Phillies don't make sense for either side.