Texas Rangers fans ebullient about Corey Seagerโs offensive surge this season after MLB banned defensive shifts: "MVP numbers in a non-Shohei world"
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is having a career year, even though he has missed nearly half of it so far due to injury.
There has been no player more positively affected by MLB banning defensive shifts as part of its bevy of rule changes for the 2023 season. After hitting just .245 in his first campaign with the Rangers in 2022, Seager is hitting .367 through 42 games this season.
Corey Seager without the shift is legitimately Jesus in cleats https://t.co/XgKm9VjZkJ
In 169 at-bats over 42 games entering Wednesday, Corey Seager has also collected 45 RBIs with 10 home runs and 29 runs scored for the American League West-leading Texas Rangers.
The only thing that has stopped Seager so far this season has been a left hamstring strain, that had him on the injured list for over a month from mid-April into mid-May. Other than that, he has been unstoppable with an OPS of 1.081.
@fuzzyfromyt Heโll win an MVP with Texas. Hes been the best offensive SS in the league for awhile, heโs just gotta stay on the field
@fuzzyfromyt MVP numbers in a non Shohei world
@fuzzyfromyt Best SS in the league
The Texas Rangers are a "big club" with the financial resources to easily absorb the 10-year, $325 million contract Corey Seager signed with the team shortly after the 2021 season.
However, two of the traditional financial behemoths of MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, are cringing seeing what Seager is doing for the Dallas/Fort Worth-based club.
The Dodgers selected Seager with the 18th overall pick of the 2012 MLB Draft, and he won the National League Rookie of the Year with the team โ as well as finishing third in the NL Most Valuable Player voting โ in his first full major league season in 2016. However, Los Angeles let him go via free agency after seven seasons.
The Yankees had every bit of the finances necessary to sign Seager before he went to Texas, but declined.
Now, the Dodgers are playing Miguel Rojas at shortstop, while the Yankees are suffering through rookie Anthony Volpe's growing pains at the position.
@fuzzyfromyt Cashman: meh Iโll pass
@fuzzyfromyt Shouldโve been a Yankee. Iโll never forgive cashman
@fuzzyfromyt God, I miss him in Dodger blue ๐ฅบ
As long as he remains healthy, Seager to be named to his fourth All-Star team next month.
@fuzzyfromyt Them numbers start to get real eye popping knowing he missed like 38 months to injury this season.
@fuzzyfromyt 45 RBIs in 41 games ๐
@fuzzyfromyt he is a clutch machine
Of course, Houston Astros fans still tend to deny that there is another MLB team in Texas. They also tend to ignore that the defending World Series champions are five games behind the Rangers in the division race.
@fuzzyfromyt God is fake as is Rangers being good. Here comes Houston
Corey Seager's contract broke franchise record held by Yankees legend
Seager is signed through the 2031 season, inking a monster 10-year, $325 million contract with the franchise. The previous contract record for the franchise was held by Alex Rodriguez when he signed a 10-year, $252 million deal in 2000.