When Corey Seager was limited to pinch-hitting because of a sore right elbow, it coincided with the Los Angeles Dodgers enduring one of the worst stretches in franchise and MLB history. Upon returning to the lineup, the All-Star shortstop needed time to find his rhythm.
Seager went into the postseason feeling as though he’d found the timing necessary to meet expectations at the plate. He went 3-for-11 with three runs scored, one triple, two RBI and four walks during the National League Division Series.
Any momentum Seager had begun to generate came to a grinding halt. He suffered what was later diagnosed as a lower back sprain on a slide into second base during Game 3 of the NLDS. The 23-year-old received treatment but was left off the NL Championship Series roster.
Seager did not travel with the Dodgers to Chicago, in part to avoid potentially aggravating his back injury on the flight, but to also not serve as a distraction.
On Tuesday, he completed a workout that will factor into whether a return this season, assuming the Dodgers advance to the World Series, is feasible, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“He did some plyometrics stuff, ladder work, was moving well,” said Roberts. “How he responds tomorrow from the ladder work, we’ll find out, but today was certainly a positive day for Corey. Tomorrow, the plan is to get him out there and play some catch. We’ll go from there.”
Seager previously pointed to this week as being key in his hope to become available if the Dodgers were to eliminate the Cubs. if he’s able to play catch on Wednesday, it would mark the first baseball activity he’s completed since suffering the injury.
Seager was administered an epidural injection the day after the NLDS concluded. While improvement followed, he remained too stiff to be included on the active roster.
What once appeared to be a significant loss has in fact hardly affected the Dodgers. They are on the verge of sweeping the Cubs and advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1988.
