Corey Seager stood alongside his teammates as the Los Angeles Dodgers lined up for introductions prior to Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. But it in no way was in the capacity he or the team expected.
A lower back strain suffered during Game 3 of the NL Division Series limited Seager throughout the week and culminated in him being left off the NLCS roster. The Dodgers later announced he received an epidural injection last Tuesday.
“It had been gradually getting better every day,” a dejected Seager said of his injury. “We were optimistic all the way up until [Friday], and basically that’s kind of when we decided (he would be left off the roster).”
Beyond the frustration that’s set in for Seager, who is renowned for sleeping and breathing baseball, he’s flummoxed by how the injury even occurred. “It was a very normal slide,” he said.
“I watched it over and over again to see if I landed awkward, hit awkward. I mean, it was extremely normal. Felt it on the slide right away. Really wasn’t kind of sure what it was.
“Puig pulled that first ball foul and took off running, and that’s kind of when I realized something was wrong. I put a bunch of hot stuff on. It was getting worked on between every inning. And basically the adrenaline of the game kind of kept me in it.”
Seager missed workouts in the days leading up to the NLCS. His limited mobility and range of motion, and lack of swinging a bat during that time proved too much to overcome. Charlie Culberson was added to the NLCS roster in his place.
The Dodgers inched closer to a World Series berth by defeating the Chicago Cubs in Game 1. Seager is hopeful but not certain he’d make a return if the team were to advance.
“I think [this] week is going to be kind of a big week to see if I can get back into baseball activities and stuff,” he said. “But right now I’m really not sure. I’m progressing every day, which is really nice. But I’m not really sure.”
Seager will not join the Dodgers when the travel to Chicago to continue with the NLCS out of fear his condition would worsen on the flight or he’d become a distraction. “This sucks, to be honest,” Seager said.
