Two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager expects to be ready for the start of spring training with the Texas Rangers after the shortstop's second hernia surgery in less than eight months.
“Just to be able to have a healthy offseason is nice,” Seager said Friday, a week after his second operation. “Frustrated, obviously, that your season had to end early, but in general you know it probably was the right thing to do, and just to be able to look forward to next year.”
The latest operation was a right sports hernia repair, on the opposite side of his abdomen from the Jan. 30 procedure. Seager missed most of spring training and did not play in his first exhibition game until March 23.
Seager was ready for the March 28 opener in his third season of a $325 million, 10-year contract. The 30-year-old shortstop hit .278 with 30 homers and 74 RBIs in 123 games before going on the injured list Sept. 4 with right hip discomfort.
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The rehab and recovery time is expected to be the same as after the last hernia repair.
“I’ll probably treat it similar, just to be able to do that in the offseason and start working out as soon as possible,” Seager said. “Yeah, if anything happens, I’m not really worried about it. You’ve got some extra time.”
Seager was dealing with the hernia issue last postseason, managing it with minor treatment in the trainer's room. He hit .318 with six homers, 12 RBIs and 15 walks in 17 postseason games as the Rangers won their first World Series title.
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Three of his postseason homers were in the World Series against Arizona, including a tying drive in the ninth inning of the opener. He was the World Series MVP like he was for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.
The hope was that the issue would subside with extended rest during the offseason.
“I’m glad we got it done, so we will have them ready to go in spring training versus this past year," Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s starting to move around a little bit better, but I’m walking faster than him still.”
Seager was batting .219 with two homers and eight RBIs in his first 29 games through May 2. He hit .296 with 28 homers and 66 RBIs in 94 games after that.
“I pretty much played this season, I guess, healthy … nothing bothered me,” he said. “The fact of not being probably where I wanted to in spring training, I mean I wasn't, but as a whole nothing was really wrong with me all year.”
