Los Angeles Dodgers rookie shortstop Corey Seager entered the 87th All-Star Game in the bottom of the fourth inning with the American League holding a 4-2 lead over the National League. It came after there was an opportunity to insert Seager into the game in the top of the fourth.
New York Mets manager Terry Collins, who managed the NL roster, allowed starting shortstop Addison Russell to hit with two outs and runners on first and second base. Russell grounded out in his second at-bat of the game, ending any thoughts of a two-out rally.
Seager’s first at-bat came in the seventh inning when he led off and faced New York Yankees reliever Dellin Betances. The flamethrower struck out the young shortstop on five pitches, with Seager offering at only one pitch — a 100 mph four-seam fastball he whiffed on to strike out.
Then in the eighth, the NL managed to load the bases with two outs. However, rather than send Seager to the plate a second time, Collins pinch hit with St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz.
Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost countered with Yankees relief pitcher Andrew Miller, who struck out Diaz. The missed opportunity was one Seager hoped to be a part of, according to Cary Osborne of Dodger Insider:
His heart wasn’t beating quickly, he said. He was poised and collected, his mind focused on his game plan against New York Yankees relief pitcher Andrew Miller.
“You always do whether its an All-Star Game, regular season game or the playoffs, you want to be that guy in that spot to drive in the winning run,” Seager said.
Seager finished the night 0-for-1 with the one strikeout and an error. Since Andre Ethier’s fifth-inning single in the 2011 All-Star Game, Dodgers hitters — Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Dee Gordon, Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal — are a combined 0-for-9 with seven strikeouts in the Midsummer Classic.
Seager’s next time on the field presumably will be Friday when the Dodgers open a nine-game road trip at Chase Field. He leads the team in batting average (.297), slugging percentage (.521), doubles (22), home runs (17) and total hits (105), among other categories.
