Newest Ranger Joc Pederson thinks the Astros' time is up atop the AL West

Since 2017, the American League West has been run by one team: the mighty Houston Astros. However you may feel about this Texas outfit, it's almost impossible not to respect the kind of consistent success it has been able to produce.

It seemed like the stretch of division titles was at its end after a poor start to 2024. Joe Espada's men didn't panic, rallying past the Seattle Mariners to clinch a fourth straight AL West triumph. It was the first time a ball club won this division in four consecutive campaigns, with the Oakland Athletics being the other in the early to mid-1970s.

Joc Pederson, who came to a two-year, $37 million agreement with the Texas Rangers coming off one season in Arizona, wasted no time expressing his thoughts on Houston's spell at the division's pinnacle.

"There's a lot of things lining up for us to go on a nice run," Pederson said. "Played the Astros a couple times in the World Series ... They put together a nice little run and it's coming to an end. And it's time for us [The Texas Rangers] to take over the West [American League West].

"So like I said, there's a lot of things that are going in the right direction for the Rangers to be on top of this division ... All we gotta do is get to the playoffs. You let [Bruce] Bochy do what Bochy does in the playoffs, usually comes well. Then you add in a sprinkle of [Corey] Seager in there and next thing you know we're all walking around with more rings."

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Joc Pederson threw even more fuel onto the Astros-Rangers rivalry

Pederson beat Houston in the World Series as a member of the Atlanta Braves, becoming the ninth player in league history to capture successive World Series titles with two different teams.

The two-time All-Star has seen it all as a member of five other organizations prior to joining the Rangers this offseason. He has competed in 79 playoff games, appearing in four World Series while producing an OPS north of .800. Texas hopes his bat and this kind of experience can play a crucial role in bouncing back from a campaign defined by regression.

The former 11th-round selection will slot nicely into Bochy's lineup, likely batting cleanup behind left fielder Wyatt Langford. In 2024, Pederson absolutely mashed right-handed pitching, churning out 60 RBI and a .973 OPS against righties in 407 at-bats. That's important because Texas finished 26th in terms of OPS last season when taking on right-handers across all of baseball.

Combine that production with the vibes we all know he brings to the ball field and the Rangers could be on their way to taking back the AL West.