ARLINGTON, Texas — In the fourth inning of Game 3 in the Rangers' 2023 American League Division Series matchup against the Orioles, Texas shortstop Corey Seager wrapped up an at-bat against Orioles pitches Kyle Gibson by pulling off a feat that not even Barry Bonds had accomplished.
For the ninth time in a playof series, he walked.
Following up a Game 2 in which he became the first player to walk five times in a postseason game, Seager drew his second walk of Game 3. Further paired with the other two walks he drew in Game 1, that upped his series-long total to nine walks.
In doing so, he broke two records -- and tied another.
First of all, he broke Bonds' record of eight walks in a divisional round Major League Baseball playoff series, which Bonds set as a member of the San Francisco Giants in the 2003 National League Division Series against the Florida Marlins.
His nine walks also ties the overall playoff series record total drawn by Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Jim Wynn in his team's 1974 National League Championship Series matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But Seager's feat might be objectively more impressive than Wynn's. See, the Rangers' MVP candidate's nine walks in three games are also the most in a three-game stretch by any player in a three-game span.
(The 1974 NLCS Wynn took part in, for what it's worth, lasted four games.)
Meanwhile, it should be noted that Seager isn't just walking up to the plate and resting his bat on his shoulder. Before drawing two walks later in the matchup, Seager kicked off the Rangers' Game 3 offensive explosion by blasting a solo home run off Orioles started Dean Kremer in the bottom of the first.
Huh. Maybe there's a reason the O's aren't throwing this guy strikes?
