While playing through a balky right elbow late last season, Corey Seager floated the possibility of undergoing offseason surgery to remedy the issue. He didn’t express much concern, and said the operation would likely only be a “clean up” procedure.
After the Los Angeles Dodgers lost Game 7 of the World Series, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the organization was optimistic Seager would not require surgery. General manager Farhan Zaidi confirmed that to be the case at last year’s MLB Winter Meetings.
But Seager’s fortunes changed on Monday, when an MRI revealed a strained right UCL that requires season-ending Tommy John surgery. There’s a hope he’ll recover in time for Opening Day of the 2019 season.
While Seager’s elbow ultimately failed him, he doesn’t have any regret over the course the organization took, via SportsNet LA:
“No. Where I was last year, it was the right decision to do that. It just didn’t work out the way I was hoping it would.”
Seager finished the 2018 season batting .267/.348/.396 with five doubles, one triple, two home runs and 13 RBI in 26 games (24 starts).
For as much as the Dodgers have built a roster and organization predicated on depth, shortstop is one of the few positions where that doesn’t necessarily apply. Without Seager, the club will initially turn to some combination of Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor.
