Last October, Joc Pederson, after tallying four hits over the previous month, was nowhere to be found on the Dodgers’ National League Division Series roster. The Dodgers did not need him to sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks, though he returned for the National League Championship Series and helped the Dodgers advance to the World Series. When he started in the later rounds, he was placed near the bottom of the lineup, never batting higher than sixth.
A year later, Pederson has been front and center in the NLDS, serving as the Dodgers’ spark in the leadoff spot as they’ve built a 2-0 series lead over the Atlanta Braves.