The Rangers announced to reporters, including Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today, that shortstop Corey Seager underwent sports hernia surgery today. He apparently suffered the injury during the postseason but it hasn’t improved in recent months, eventually leading him to go under the knife. The club is hopeful he could be ready for Opening Day. “The concern level is not very high,” general manager Chris Young said, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Per Wilson, the club is unlikely to add an extra infielder this offseason as a result of this development.
It’s unclear exactly when Seager first noticed the issue, but it didn’t seem to impact his performance at all. He raked in the playoffs last year, putting up a line of .318/.451/.682 in 17 games, eventually helping the club hoist its first title and winning himself World Series MVP in the process.
Regardless, the issue didn’t heal as hoped over the winter and surgical intervention was deemed necessary. Though the club is optimistic about his ability to get back on the field by Opening Day, it doesn’t seem as though that’s a lock.
Seager has been an excellent player in his career, having now hit .292/.361/.512 over nine seasons from the shortstop position. Health has occasionally interfered in his ability to take the field, most notably when he required Tommy John surgery in April of 2018 after playing just 26 games. Since then, he’s also made trips to the injured list due to a couple of left hamstring strains, a right hand fracture and a right thumb sprain.
His upcoming surgery rehab doesn’t seem as though it will push the club to make any reactionary moves, if Young is to be taken at his word. The Rangers will seemingly rely on incumbent players to cover the position if Seager misses any time in the early parts of the schedule. Marcus Semien has plenty of shortstop experience but didn’t play that spot in 2023 and hasn’t been a regular there since 2020. Even if the Rangers keep him at the keystone, they have Ezequiel Durán, Josh H. Smith and Jonathan Ornelas on the roster, which each capable of covering short if needed.
Injury recovery figures to be a key storyline for the defending champions here in 2024. Max Scherzer underwent back surgery this offseason and is expected to be out of action until June or July, while Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle are also targeting midseason returns after each of them underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023. Assuming there are no setbacks, Seager should be back well before any of that trio.
Never forget Seager and Yordan led me to a fantasy championship in 2023. Forever grateful.
That could definitely have an effect on his bat.
Makes sense since he carried that team to a title…
Him and Adolis for sure. If teams would’ve just walked those 2 they wouldn’t have won more than a game or two all postseason. Never understood why teams pitched to those 2. Oh well
Riiiiiiggghhhttttt…
you’re joking, right? I believe a team in the postseason DID try that, and it backfired immediately.
Why wait this long for something that shouldn’t sideline him more than 4 weeks???
My guess is he was feeling fine and resting in the off-season, then began ramping up activities recently and it popped back up….Surgery should always be last resort. But I do agree it seems silly to wait until season gets closer if that wasn’t the case.
I also thought guys reported to spring the middle of February, which is why it confused me more.
Surely he’s began hitting the cages recently at the very least by now you would hope. Definitely can tweak the groin swinging.
@deGrom this article is kind of vague as to what he knew early. I ve gotta assume he just thought it was a strain or pull as hernias do need heal with time and often you get no buldge. The only way they are repaired is surgically.
I had to have mesh repairs on left and right sides for hernias. Neither time did I get a buldge. Every time I get a strain or discomfort in that area now I get a bit nervous. I hate surgery and hate catheters. Pi$$ing out all the IV fluids after a surgery requiring a catheter is something I’d only wish upon a select few.
Depending on the team, pitchers and catchers will start to report between the 13th and the 16th of February. That makes it the middle of the month!!
Maybe he put the knife off because his balls were on strike
I thought that was in November when balls went on strike lol
@Manny, I might’ve missed the article specifying the hernia as of the inguinal variety.
While Beavis-esque sense of humor is assuming just by sharing, maybe assume less to appear less like a…well you know.
He probably got lost and went and saw a Met doctor by mistake
Read the article, buddy. He was hoping it could heal on its own without surgery. Why get surgery unless it’s absolutely necessary? Even now, he can get surgery and probably be fine by opening day (also in the article above).
I read that article. The idea would be to get the 4 weeks out of the way during the offseason instead of close to the regular season. The above explanation of him just finding out now makes more sense.
Article wasn’t complete when people start commenting…First time on the site, Buddy?
Shame- end of an era for Seager. Billy Hamilton speed combined with Brandon Buxton defense.
I’m very worried. But if they say he’s fine, he’s fine.
You trust everything a GM says? 95 perfect is BS
RIP to my planned wager on him for MVP…
Core surgery is tricky. Pick Soto. He’ll lead the league in runs scored.
^recovery
Seager just cannot stay on the field. He is always an accident waiting to happen.
…turn your head and cough!
Opening day update will be he’s out for another month.
Gee, I guess somebody really wanted to skip Spring Training this year.
So using your logic when the bell rings on Opening Day , He hasn’t played any games in SP?
It doesn’t matter. He’s a robot that will crush whenever he decides it’s time to crush.
Juicer
Probably so… he is really fit. I’m guessing a Vita-mix or Ninja Bullet
Just reunite Crawford and bochy for the beginning of the season.
All the best for his recovery so he can lead the Rangers to back-to-back championships.
A designated runner would help here.
Happened when he hammered that ball in the 9th to tie game 1….. That thing was crushed.
I think it happened prior to that in Houston or maybe Baltimore. I remember a grimace at some point that got my attention but he kept going.
This guy is a walking injury. Just put him on the block and be done with it.
Hilarious
He’s a walking legend. Get over it.
The best ability is availability. He spent half his 20s on the shelf and will spend most of his 30s on it. Better to get out in front of it now before you’re stuck paying 30 plus million dollars for a guy who lives on the injured list. This why the Dodgers didn’t lift a finger to sign him.
I didn’t say he wasn’t a great player he’s unreal when he’s available. That, however, is the problem. When available. He’s entering his 30s this year and if his body has been this fragile in his 20s it will be exponentially more fragile in his 30s, especially considering he plays the second most demanding position after catcher.
Hopefully whatever team you root for continues to suck with an inferior albeit healthy roster because you deserve it. Rangers fans enjoyed winning and we love Corey Seager.
I’m sorry you can’t comprehend logical analysis. You must be a democrat party voter.
Yet their options after he left have played less…
Turning it into a political dig – nice. Go back to eating Cheetos in your mothers attic loser.
Seriously. Not a single Ranger fan is complaining. Too many people on this message board are bitter and lonely people. They need to get a life.
People who go on threads of other teams and poke at wounds are lowlifes.
As an Angel Fan, I barely remember 2003, but I’ll always have 2002.
Flags fly forever, and so do trolls.
This happens in baseball more than most sports, however, I still don’t understand the reasoning.
Why do they wait until an injury could take more time away from the field before addressing it with surgery? This was a known issue at seasons end in November. If he had this minor surgery in early December,this would be a nonfactor entering Spring Training.
This is relevant because we all know hitters take longer to get in “season shape” than pitchers.
@TheStevilEmpire1 the answer is obvious, he wants tp get paid for doing nothing. Since he won a championship for the Rangers he feels like hes owed this
Owed having and a surgery he ll likely recover from prior to Opening Day?? Many of these procedures are done laparoscopically these days and you and in 2-3 weeks he ll easily be cleared fir light activities and will barely affect Spring Training timeliness. If they have to cut it ll probably push him back 3-4 weeks. Surgeon tells you usually for hernia surgery that they ll attempt laparoscopic but if they need to cut you they will while you are under.
I still think Ezequiel Duran is the SS and Corey Seager the DH come opening day.
Thanks for the troll comment. Who hurt you?
It’s not even a good troll comment. It’s perplexingly bad.
Surgery is always the last resort so rest and rehab/strengthening can sometimes fix things. Obv. it didn’t happen with Seager. It’s not uncommon for pitchers to continue pitching with elbow bone spurs until it effects their ability. My doc friend is a partner at a pain mgmt clinic in D.C. and treats a bunch of pro athletes. Not a single one wants to be on the shelf if they can help it.
I understand your point, my point is in regards to injuries that:
A.) Are minor and relatively non-invasive, but are completely necessary as well, like this. Or…
B ) Putting off major surgery like Tommy John Surgery or shoulder surgery until late in the off-season, removing them from any possibility from returning until the earliest being spring of the FOLLOWING season.
He could have elected to do this procedure early in the off-season, taking into consideration extra recovery time in case of a setback. Most likely, he would have been fully recovered by now had he had the procedure in early December is my point.
Perhaps a positive: He’s getting this year’s injury out of the way before the seasons starts.
So many of the comments on this board are pathetic. However, yours is a thoughtful dig at his injury history. Well done.
Andrus reunion?
Ouch!
We really need an option to edit. Corey is one of Four players to win the WS mvp twice. He and Reggie have won the award with two different teams.
Nice of him to wait till almost Spring Training to have surgery…..team player for sure