With a one-out single in the ninth inning Saturday night, his 181st hit on the year, Corey Seager broke Steve Sax’s Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record for most hits in a single season by a rookie.
Sax collected 180 hits during the 1982 season, batting .282/.335/.359 overall, with 23 doubles, seven triples, four home runs and 47 RBI in 150 games. He was named to the National League All-Star team and took home the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
Seager’s accomplishment is the latest in a season where he’s managed to outplay the lofty expectations that were placed on his shoulders.
When the 22-year-old hit his 23rd home run it set a new Dodgers franchise record for most homers in a single season by a shortstop. Hanley Ramirez held the Los Angeles mark with 20 home runs, while Glenn Wright’s 22 homers were once the most in franchise history.
Seager also owns the Dodgers rookie record for most doubles in a season with 39. Eric Karros held the previous record, hitting 30 doubles during his rookie season in 1992.
The next record likely to fall to the All-Star shortstop is the Dodgers’ rookie record for total bases in a season. Mike Piazza currently holds that mark, with 307 bases.
Seager enters play Monday with 302 total bases. He’s the first Dodgers player since Matt Kemp (353) in 2011 to eclipse 300 total bases in a season.
Seager leads qualified Dodgers in total hits, batting average (.313), on-base percentage (.373), slugging (.524), doubles, triples (four), tied for second in home runs (25) and third in RBI (69).
He entered the season as the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year Award, and has seemingly had that piece of hardware long locked up.
