The Los Angeles Dodgers won a second consecutive series by taking two of three from the Miami Marlins, but the weekend proved costly as Corey Seager suffered a fractured fifth metacarpal in his right hand after being hit by a pitch.
Seager was immediately removed from the game and shortly after their win, the Dodgers announced x-rays revealed a right hand fracture. While it is another significant loss in a season that’s been marred by injury, the Dodgers consider themselves fortunate.
“I think we dodged a bullet on that one. No surgery required. He’s in a splint and we’re just going to kind of let it heal,” manager Dave Roberts said. “With a broken hand, the timeline is pretty vague. So that’s kind of where it’s at.”
Roberts added the minimum time he expects Seager to miss is four weeks. In reality, it may be in the neighborhood of six to eight weeks. “I just don’t know. You’ve just got to let it happen,” Roberts said of a potential timeline.
The Dodgers find themselves in a position similar to what has transpired with Cody Bellinger over the past six weeks. He was spiked in the left calf on April 5 and placed on the 10-day injured list four days later.
Persistent pain prompted further examination of the leg, and a CT scan revealed the hairline fracture in his left fibula. Bellinger has been recovering at the Dodgers’ alternate training site at Camelback Ranch and should begin a rehab assignment by the weekend.
Seager is expected to not only remain with the Dodgers for the time being, but also keep active. “We’re going to do everything we can. Brandon McDaniel and Travis Smith are great as far as the body and keeping it going,” Roberts said.
“There’s some lower half, conditioning stuff, oblique stuff he’s going to stay on top of. There’s glove work he can continue to do, there’s top hand stuff he can continue to do. And then we have the VR to keep his mind right and sharp.”
Seager added to long list of Dodgers injuries
When the Dodgers set their Opening Day roster, they additionally placed Caleb Ferguson, Brusdar Graterol, Joe Kelly and Tommy Kahnle on the injured list. Ferguson and Kahnle aren’t expected to pitch this season as they both recover from Tommy John surgery.
Graterol and Kelly were eventually activated, though the former is again back on the IL. In sidelining Seager, the Dodgers have placed 13 players on the IL through the first six weeks of the season.
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