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Texas Rangers SS Corey Seager is out at least 1 - Month with Strained Hamstring
Introduction
On Wednesday, April 12th, 2023 the Texas Rangers announced that their starting big - league shortstop, Corey Seager, will miss at least 1 - month as he was now placed on the injured list last Wednesday with a strained left hamstring. Seager suffered this hamstring injury while running the bases.
Hamstring Injuries
The Texas Rangers general manager, Chris Young, disclosed that Seager had underwent an MRI that revealed a Grade - 2 strain of his left hamstring. Corey managed to injury himself during the 5th - inning of the Texas Rangers game on Tuesday, April 11th, 2023 versus the Kansas City Royals. In the past Seager had to spend close to a month on the injured list due to another left hamstring strain during the 2019 season when he was playing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Corey injured himself this time while running out an opposite - field double that found its way into the left - field corner of the stadium, during his 5th - straight game with an extra - base hit. Seager entered the day of his injury in 7th - place in the American League as he was carrying a batting average of .359. He also drew 9 - base on balls this year that contributed to his .469 on - base percentage (OBP).
After making a clean turn around 1st - base, Corey took a few more steps past first base prior to quickly pulling up and began to limp the rest of his way over to 2nd - base. Corey reached toward the back of his leg immediately as he bent over and started making his way back toward the Texas Rangers dugout as he knew it was bad.
Seager thought he was about to pick up a triple on that hit from the moment that he made contact with the ball because the left fielder was ways from getting to the baseball that rolled out into the left corner of the field.
"Somebody of Corey's caliber is not replaceable, but it leads to opportunity for other players to step up. And that's what good teams do," the Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young explained. "All good teams, every team, goes through injuries. And we knew something like this would happen, didn't know when or to whom."
The Texas Rangers, who are currently leading the American League West with an overall record of 7 and 4 so far during the 2023 MLB season, went into their match up on Wednesday night vs. the Kansas City Royals without the service of Seager at the dish or in the infield.
"There's nothing else you can really do now other than support your teammates and try and be healthy," the Texas Rangers short stop Corey Seager expressed. "How that looks, I don't know yet. It'll be dependent on how you feel."
Replacing Corey Seager
While Corey just recently hit the 10 - day injured list, the Texas Rangers re - activated their switch - hitting center fielder / utility player, Leody Taveras, from the IL. Taveras, who was set to return from his rehab assignment sometime this during the upcoming week, had to begin the 2023 MLB season on the IL due to a left strained oblique in which Leody endured during batting practice very early on during the Texas Rangers spring training camp.
Taveras was back in the Texas Rangers starting line - up as be batted in the 7th - hole for the Texas Rangers just the other day. Josh Smith was the starting shortstop that day and he batted 2nd, which was Seager's usual spot in the Texas Rangers batting order. Smith recently avoided a stint on the injured about a week ago when Josh got hit in the face by a pitch and his wound from that required 6 - stitches.
The Texas Rangers also have another quality utility player in Ezequiel Duran on their club roster who can play short stop, but Bochy told the major sports media outlets that Smith would get most of the starts at short stop in the absence of Seager over the next month or so.
Contract with the Texas Rangers
Seager presently has been off to an extremely great start to the Major League Baseball season as he is in the 2nd - year of his big - money long - term 10 - year contract with the Texas Rangers which is worth up to approximately $325 million.
"You hate to see it with as well as he's been playing," says the Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. "He's been locked in at the plate, as well as any hitter I've seen."
"So, it wasn't like I really sped up or what not to kind of do something like that," Seager went on to say. "Just something unfortunate that it happened."
"He knows who he is," Bochy stated. "He's a really good player, different type of player. Different guys, different hitters. You can probably do a couple more things with Smitty than you would with Corey."
Seager played 151 - games in his debut MLB season with the Texas Rangers in 2022, when he never missed more than 3 - consecutive ball games. Corey hit a career - high 33 - homer runs and was an MLB All - Star selection for the 3rd - time in his big - league baseball career.
Seager was forced to miss around 2 and a half months of the 2021 MLB season with the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a fractured right hand after getting hit by a pitch at the plate. Along with the previous hamstring injury, he was limited to only 26 - games during the 2018 MLB season because of needing right elbow surgery to repair his arm.
Corey Seager’s Baseball Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- 3 - Time MLB All - Star Selection (2016, 2017, 2022)
- World Series Champion (2020)
- World Series MVP Award Winner (2020)
- All - MLB Second Team Selection (2020)
- National League Rookie of the Year Award Winner (2016)
- NLCS MVP Award Winner (2020)
- 2 - Time Silver Slugger Award Winner (2016, 2017)
Sources:
“Rangers' Corey Seager to miss at least 4 weeks with hamstring strain”, espn.com, April 13, 2023.
“Corey Seager”, baseball-reference.com, April 13, 2023.