While several took advantage of Players Weekend and wore jerseys with nicknames on the back, Corey Seager was not among the Los Angeles Dodgers to participate. His brother, Kyle, however, used the opportunity to poke fun at himself.
As the elder brother and an All-Star in his own right with the Seattle Mariners, Kyle in some regard has played under the shadow of his younger brother since Corey made his MLB debut in 2015. The 2016 campaign was a Rookie of the Year season for the young shortstop, and he finished third in National League MVP voting.
So, when it came time to pick a nickname for his jersey, Kyle went with “Corey’s Brother,” which predictably drew headlines and an overwhelmingly positive response. It’s also what Kyle has named his fantasy football team in the past.
During a recent interview with MLB Network Radio, the Mariners third baseman explained he was surprised MLB approved the name and it caught Corey off guard:
“It was a joke at the beginning. I didn’t think they were actually going to put it on the jersey. It’s actually been pretty funny. … He told me that I got lucky that he didn’t know we were doing this.”
Kyle previously poked fun at his brother for not taking part in Players Weekend, calling him boring and arguing a player of his caliber is in need of a nickname.
That the Dodgers’ shortstop bypassed a nickname in favor of “Seager” is hardly a surprise. The 23-year-old has often been lauded for his low profile and preference to go about his business without much fanfare.
Seager did become involved for a teammate, however, as he was granted permission by Chase Utley to select his nickname. That fittingly was “Silver Fox.”
Considering the enthusiasm and feedback to Players Weekend, it stands to reason MLB will look to incorporate the same break from tradition, or something similar, in seasons ahead.
