ARLINGTON -- In 2025, the Rangers are 15-11 with an average of 3.85 runs per game when Corey Seager takes the field. Without the franchise shortstop, Texas is 12-18, averaging 2.83 runs per game.
On Wednesday, ahead of their 2-0 loss in the series finale against the Blue Jays, the Rangers activated Seager from the 10-day injured list. The 31-year-old has been nursing a hamstring issue since the end of Spring Training, enduring two IL stints in the young season.
He’s missed Texas’ last 16 games as the club went 8-8 in his recent absence. Seager has slashed .300/.346/.520 in 26 games this season, collecting six home runs, four doubles and 12 RBIs.
“Anytime you get closer to full strength, you're going to be better, that's common sense,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “When you have one of the best hitters in the game in the lineup, it's going to make everybody else better too. It puts guys in the spot you want, helps you balance out the lineup like I talked about. We still won't be full strength without [Evan] Carter and [Joc] Peterson in there. And it’s not gonna be all on one guy. I can tell you that it's going to take everybody doing something to contribute and produce. But it will be a better lineup with Corey in there.”
Seager has had a few different hamstring injuries in his career. Before this year, he missed 31 games in 2023 with a left hamstring strain. He also missed about a month in 2019, from June 13-July 10, with a left hamstring strain when he was with the Dodgers.
While Seager will play a lot of shortstop, as usual, Bochy said they will also get him DH reps in the coming weeks to keep him healthy. Bochy added that it will be more of a day-by-by decision on if he will play shortstop or DH.
“He wants to play short,” Bochy said. “He's a baseball player. That's what he wants, it’s what he loves to do. If we think the best move for him is DH more, we would have to do it. But right now, we think he's gonna be fine to play shortstop. He's in a good place right now.”