SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 1: San Francisco Giants' Joc Pederson (23) walks off the field after getting out against Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, October 1, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
The Giants placed Joc Pederson on the family medical emergency list Wednesday prior to their season finale against the San Diego Padres and called up rookie outfielder Heliot Ramos to take his place on the roster.
There was no immediate explanation for Pederson’s designation. His wife, Kelsey, is pregnant with their third child.
Pederson’s locker in San Diego had been cleaned out, according to reporters in the clubhouse.
Pederson, a free agent after this season, led the Giants with 23 home runs this season while posting career highs in batting average (.274), on-base percentage (.353) and OPS+ (144, league average: 100).
A Palo Alto native, Pederson represented his hometown team in his second career All-Star appearance.
However, this season will mark the first of his eight years in the major leagues that he won’t play in the postseason.
Ramos, 23, received fewer opportunities than expected this season in the big leagues; he struggled all year against Triple-A pitching, batting .227 with 11 home runs (a .654 OPS) in 427 at-bats for Sacramento, but the Giants still consider him a core piece of their future.
Originally published at Evan Webeck