Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Corey Seager will begin a throwing program on Monday that will last a minimum of four days and upwards of a full week. However long the duration, Seager is expected to return to the lineup at that point.
The timetable guarantees that will not take place during the series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who swept the Dodgers at Chase Field in their last meeting. Seager initially deemed the elbow was 100 percent healthy, but over the weekend said an MRI revealed some ‘problems,’ that are causing swelling and inflammation.
Nonetheless, Seager and the Dodgers don’t hold much concern. “Corey feels good about it. We’re just being cautious,” Roberts said. “We’re doing the right thing by trying to keep it at bay.”
The general message delivered has been Seager would play through the minor injury if the playoffs were already underway.
The Dodgers have shown a penchant for erring on the side of extreme caution, particularly with the likes of Cody Bellinger, Clayton Kershaw and Seager, among others. Because of a sore right elbow, Seager last started at shortstop on Aug. 27.
He’s dealt with the soreness for multiple weeks, and initial signs of trouble surfaced during a pregame workout with the training staff ahead of a game against the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 18. He was the designated hitter that night and was given a game off six days later.
Even as he was battling the soreness, Seager managed to put together a season-long 15-game hitting streak. It was snapped on a pinch-hit appearance against the Diamondbacks last week.