Entering Friday’s series opener against the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers have played the past three games with Corey Seager limited to pinch-hit duty. Manager Dave Roberts revealed the young shortstop had been nursing a sore elbow for multiple weeks.
Seager was seen working with the trainers while the Dodgers were on the road trip prior to this current one, and he was essentially given two days off; one came as a designated hitter against the Detroit Tigers.
While the Dodgers are exercising caution, Seager deemed his throwing elbow to be 100 percent. Although he may have believed as much, reality appears to have brought about a different set of circumstances.
According to Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times, Seager said an MRI revealed some trouble but he again dismissed the matter as serious:
He is nursing a sore right elbow, and recently underwent an MRI exam that revealed “problems” that included inflammation and swelling, he said.
“It wasn’t an ideal one, but I’ve dealt with it,” Seager said. “It wasn’t anything new. The usual.”
Roberts indicated the plan was for Seager to field ground balls but not throw during the weekend series at Petco Park. Seager is on track to begin a throwing program early next week, and could return in a full capacity by the weekend.
The 23-year-old is batting .310/.391/.500 with 30 doubles, 19 home runs, 65 RBI, a .378 wOBA and 136 wRC+ over 121 games this season. Seager had a season-high 15-game hitting streak that was snapped in his first pinch-hit appearance during the recent series at Chase Field.
In addition to this current stretch, he missed five consecutive games and six of seven this year due to hamstring tightness.
