What happened to Corey Seager? Analyzing the All-Star shortstop’s unexpected exit against the Tigers
On Monday, Corey Seager exited the ballgame against the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the second inning due to what's reported to be a left hamstring injury while he was running to first base. Seager crushed the ball in the opposite field to drive home a run to give the Rangers their first run of the game.
As soon as he reached first base, he was in visible discomfort in his left leg and was subsequently attended by the Rangers medical staff and manager, Bruce Bochy. The All-Star shortstop was replaced by utility man Ezequiel Duran in the game.
As far as his return is concerned, it remains to be seen what grade of strain has Seager endured. If it's a Grade 1 strain, expect the shortstop to recover within a week, but if it's a Grade 2 or 3, it may take a month or more.
Corey Seager's hamstring injury history and how it affects Rangers in close AL West
This particular injury also troubled Seager in 2023, when he missed 31 games due to a left hamstring strain. Also, during his time with the Dodgers in 2019, he missed a month between June and July.
This season, Seager missed most of the spring training to recover from his sports hernia surgery he underwent in the offseason. It comes at a time when Corey Seager has been hitting well, especially since the start of May.
Despite a slow start to the season, which had him hitting only .208 until April, Seager improved to .287/.387/.660 in May and was on a career-best 28-game on-base streak before the injury.
The injury would bother the Texas Rangers in their bid to win the series following their title-winning run in 2023. Entering Wednesday's game, the Rangers are 29-32, 5.5 games behind the first-placed Seattle Mariners (35-27).
Moreover, the Astros, who surprisingly struggled in the early half of the season, are putting together some wins and are now only two games behind the defending champions.
The Rangers will hope for an early return from Corey Seager, as they are in a tight battle in the AL West.