The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a major blow with the news that Corey Seager would miss the remainder of the 2018 season after needing to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a strained UCL in his right elbow.
He battled with a sore elbow at the end of the 2017 season but played through the pain and ultimately avoided surgery in the offseason. Seager’s operation was deemed successful, though a timetable wasn’t immediately released on when he may return to the field.
It’s possible that the 24-year-old finds his way back into the Dodgers lineup for Opening Day of the 2019 season, as position players tend to recover faster from Tommy John surgery when compared to pitchers, who typically miss an entire calendar year.
Seager is at ease with undergoing surgery and is already setting future goals for when he returns, via SportsNet LA:
“It’s almost peace of mind now. There was no gray area to this decision. It was pretty cut and dry. That’s nice as an athlete, to now have a plan to go forward and keep reaching goals instead of the unknown.”
Going forward, Seager isn’t expecting to change positions in the wake of his surgery. Prior to becoming a breakout star, it was widely assumed that he would eventually move to third base due to his large frame.
Seager batted .267/.348/.396 with five doubles, one triple, two home runs and 13 RBI this season (26 games).
Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor have received the bulk of opportunities at shortstop in his absence, but it’s possible the Dodgers search for outside reinforcements in the coming weeks.
