While there was a general expectation the Los Angeles Dodgers would adjust their active roster for the National League Championship Series, leaving Corey Seager off it was not what many projected.
The 23-year-old was held out of multiple workouts due to a back injury that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described as a “muscular thing” on the eve of the NLCS beginning. Nonetheless, Roberts said there was optimism Seager would be in the lineup for Game 1.
While there was not any indication at the time, he was injured on a slide into second base during Game 3 of the NL Division Seres. That occurred in the first inning and Seager remained in the game.
The All-Star shortstop was officially diagnosed with a lower back strain that required he be administered an epidural injection, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Seager has low back sprain. Received an epidural injection from Dr. Robert Watkins and is considered day-to-day, according to Dodgers.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) October 14, 2017
“It improved, but enough to warrant him being out there, it’s still sore,” Roberts said. “It’s still sore. Hasn’t hit, hasn’t moved around.”
Roberts did not rule out the Dodgers potentially adding Seager to the roster at some point during the NLCS but conceded it was unlikely to come before Game 3. That would require he replace an injured player who then would not be eligible if the Dodgers advanced to the World Series.
What’s more, Seager has not yet been cleared by the medical staff to run or swing a bat. Charlie Culberson, who was added to the NLCS roster in Seager’s place, is starting at shortstop and batting eighth in Game 1 against Jose Quintana and the Chicago Cubs.
