Corey Seager’s debut season with the Texas Rangers incorporated an All-Star look but in addition the promise of larger and higher issues to return.
DALLAS — Like his keystone mixture counterpart, the Rangers’ 2023 shortstop would be the identical because it used to be in 2022 – in prowess, hype, contract and expectancies. A day after Texas made waves by means of touchdown Marcus Semien to kick off their big-spending techniques again in 2021, it used to be the signing of Corey Seager on a 10-year, $325 million deal that introduced the Rangers a face to position to their rebuilding effort.
Ultimately, Seager would most probably let you know himself that he fell a ways wanting the lofty expectancies levied on him within the first 12 months of his huge contract. This 12 months, even though, there could also be a quite natural benefit that the celebrity can use.
2022 Opening Day Shortstop: Corey Seager
2023 Projected Opening Day Shortstop: Corey Seager
It’s simple to disregard that Seager gained a World Series MVP in Arlington. He simply did it as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers all over a pandemic-shortened season that noticed Globe Life Field act as a impartial flooring for the Fall Classic that 12 months.
In that six-game sequence, Seager beaten to the track of a.400/.556/.700 slash line with two homers and 5 RBI. That’s the shortstop that Texas desires for the following 9 years. Who they ended up with in 12 months one used to be a mix of tantalizing skill and what at instances felt like a participant wading via huge expectancies.
While Seager swatted a career-high 33 homers – essentially the most by means of a left-handed hitting shortstop in MLB historical past – from the center of the lineup, he additionally had a career-low slash line of .245/.242/.317. Some of that used to be because of his highway numbers in his first foray within the American League, which have been paltry by means of comparability to his numbers in Texas.
Some of the decrease manufacturing can also be attributed to a sluggish get started because of the magnitude of the whole lot that transpired final 12 months, very similar to what Semien skilled. The irregularities of the behind schedule Spring Training and months-long lockout certainly performed a component in Seager’s bat no longer choosing up till midseason.
You may just additionally argue that the similar instances that hindered Semien happened Seager within the season’s first months. Seager himself mentioned that studying the entire “new” facets of his lifestyles performed an enormous position in his efficiency. But each Semien and Seager had been ready to triumph over the ones tribulations and lead the group in WAR for offensive gamers (4.5 fWAR for Seager, 4.2 fWAR for Semien). Seager, regardless of his sluggish get started, even earned himself a travel to the All-Star Game.
In addition to a monitor file offering hope for a larger 12 months from Seager, there’s something that used to be prevalent in 2022 that gained’t be round for 2023. Beginning this season, the infield shift is banned in Major League Baseball.
On the skin, it doesn’t appear to be Seager must had been affected that a lot by means of the shift. Yes, he pulled his touch at a higher-than-league-average clip of 33%, however for part of the time he made touch, Seager drove it throughout the center.
Ideally, that may produce some motion at the basepaths at an ideal tempo. But a couple of research confirmed that Seager used to be the hitter who suffered essentially the most from the shift in 2022, probably shedding as much as 25 hits. Add the ones into Seager’s 2022 totals, and also you’re taking a look at a .287 hitter as an alternative of a .245 hitter. Throw in a couple of instances the place the ones would had been situational or run-scoring hits, and you’ve got a a lot more spectacular taking a look offensive stat line.
Now, with one complete season in Arlington beneath his belt and the absence of the shift, the lefty must have the ability to make his $35 million according to 12 months deal appear to be a thieve. Already, his Spring Training serves as a pleasing indicator of his convenience stage within the clubhouse with the regimen of a “normal” spring.
That convenience stage and at ease feeling with which Seager is enjoying presentations within the stats – and whilst they’re simply Cactus League tallies, Seager definitely turns out to grasp the place his groove is. As camp winds down, Seager is carrying a batting common simply south of .475 with 4 homers, 9 RBI and 11 runs scored.
Second 12 months Seager goes to be counted directly to be the catalyst for Texas’ upward push to October baseball. It’s what the Rangers introduced him to Texas to do after seeing him rule over their stadium beneath the largest lighting ahead of.
Will Corey Seager finally end up a sneaky MVP candidate for the Rangers in 2023? Share your predictions with Matt on Twitter @FisherWritesMLB.
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