Pederson is facing a lengthy absence after suffering the injury during Saturday’s showdown against the White Sox when he was hit by a pitch. The 33-year-old was just starting to snap out of an extended slump at the plate to open the season. He’ll presumably undergo further evaluation and testing to determine whether he’ll require surgery. There should be an update on his status at some point in the coming days.

The fracture occurred when Pederson was plunked in his hand by Bryse Wilson offering in the fourth inning. The 33-year-old will obviously head to the injured list, and likely will be out for more then the minimum stint while the fracture heals. The question will be whether Pederson will need to undergo surgery, as that will be a major factor in just how much time the veteran will miss in 2025.

It was bizarre timing, but the Rangers dropped Pederson to sixth in the order tonight, even though he’s been trending upwards for weeks now; he came into the night with a .214/.405/.393 line in his previous 11 games and a .420 xwOBA in his last 50 plate appearances. Even his one out was hit 105.8 mph tonight. He’s a somewhat worse play in mixed leagues while hitting sixth, but hopefully it won’t continue.

It also doubled his RBI count of the year. Pederson had been showing signs of pulling out of his slump over the last 10-14 days. It might not happen all at once now, but he’s certainly worth considering in 12-team and deeper leagues and in all leagues that count OBP instead of average.