Rangers' Star Shortstop Corey Seager Sidelined with Sprained Thumb

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager placed on injured list again.

In an update on his injury, Seager revealed that an MRI showed no structural issues with his thumb, which he injured during the series opener against his former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. X-rays taken after the game also came back negative. While Seager acknowledged that he will likely experience inflammation for about a week, he expressed confidence in his ability to tolerate the pain. The Texas Rangers, who currently lead the AL West, announced that Seager has been placed on the injured list, marking the second time this season that he has been sidelined. The injury occurred when Seager's hand jammed into the base during a head-first slide in the eighth inning of the series opener against the NL West-leading Dodgers. As a left-handed hitter, Seager's sore and swollen thumb is his bottom hand and also his throwing hand. Despite the discomfort, Seager noted that the injury could have been much worse.

Seager's performance this season has been impressive, with a batting average of .350, 15 home runs, and 58 RBIs in 66 games. If he qualified, his batting average would lead the American League. However, Seager missed 31 games earlier in the season due to a left hamstring strain. Interestingly, he sustained that injury while running the bases as well, during a game against the Kansas City Royals on April 11. The Rangers managed to maintain a record of 19-12 during Seager's absence, demonstrating their resilience as a team.

Manager Bruce Bochy commended the team's ability to perform well despite Seager's previous injury and emphasized the need for the same resolve moving forward. Seager was initially called out during the game against the Dodgers, but the Rangers challenged the call. However, Seager was already heading back to the dugout, visibly in discomfort and flexing his hand. The call was overturned upon replay review. Josh Smith replaced Seager as a runner, and Seager himself hit his 15th home run of the season in the sixth inning. Unfortunately, the Rangers ultimately lost the game 11-5.

As Seager recovers from his injury, Ezequiel Duran will take his place in the starting lineup at shortstop. It is worth noting that Seager was named the MVP of both the 2020 World Series and NL Championship Series when the Dodgers won at Globe Life Field during the COVID-19 pandemic. This series opener against the Dodgers marked the first time Los Angeles had played at Globe Life Field since those championship games.