The Los Angeles Dodgers prevented Corey Seager from making his 2019 debut in Spring Training until late March, then went into the regular season with a plan to rest him after appearing in three consecutive games.
The blueprint was in response to Seager returning from respective Tommy John and hip surgeries. His 2018 campaign came to a close after just 26 games because he could no longer play through a damaged ligament in his right elbow.
While the Dodgers had an idea on how to manage Seager’s workload, they have strayed from the plan thus far. Entering Monday, he’s appeared in all 36 games this season. Though, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is content with how the club has operated.
“I think we’ve done a pretty good job of not starting him a bunch,” Roberts recently said. “Two of the games that he didn’t start, he came in to play an inning of defense, or maybe a pinch-hit, so I think games played, I don’t put too much weight on that.
“I think more of games started, and we’ve done a good job with Corey. This is the toughest part of our schedule. Going forward we’re going to have some built-in off days, so it’ll balance itself out even more.”
Of Seager’s games played, 32 have been starts. He’s logged three plate appearances as a pinch-hitter and entered a fourth game off the bench for the defensive purposes. One of Seager’s starts was cut short at four innings due to being hit by a pitch that caused a hamstring contusion.
That came during a stretch of seven consecutive starts for the 2016 National League Rookie of the Year. Seager also has started six games in a row without an off day.
As Roberts alluded to, the Dodgers’ schedule through the first six weeks of the regular season hasn’t provided for many breaks. The club has enjoyed just three off days so far and don’t have another until Monday, May 13.
