DALLAS — Like his keystone combination counterpart, the Rangers’ 2023 shortstop will be the same as it was in 2022 – in prowess, hype, contract and expectations. A day after Texas made waves by landing Marcus Semien to kick off their big-spending ways back in 2021, it was the signing of Corey Seager on a 10-year, $325 million deal that brought the Rangers a face to put to their rebuilding effort.
Ultimately, Seager would probably tell you himself that he fell far short of the lofty expectations levied on him in the first year of his monumental contract. This year, though, there may be a somewhat organic advantage that the superstar can use.
2022 Opening Day Shortstop: Corey Seager
2023 Projected Opening Day Shortstop: Corey Seager
It’s easy to forget that Seager won a World Series MVP in Arlington. He just did it as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a pandemic-shortened season that saw Globe Life Field act as a neutral ground for the Fall Classic that year.
In that six-game series, Seager crushed to the tune of a.400/.556/.700 slash line with two homers and five RBI. That’s the shortstop that Texas wants for the next nine years. Who they ended up with in year one was a mixture of tantalizing talent and what at times felt like a player wading through enormous expectations.
While Seager swatted a career-high 33 homers – the most by a left-handed hitting shortstop in MLB history – from the middle of the lineup, he also had a career-low slash line of .245/.242/.317. Some of that was due to his road numbers in his first foray in the American League, which were paltry by comparison to his numbers in Texas.
Some of the lower production can be attributed to a slow start due to the magnitude of everything that transpired last year, similar to what Semien experienced. The irregularities of the delayed Spring Training and months-long lockout undoubtedly played a part in Seager’s bat not picking up until midseason.
You could also argue that the same circumstances that hindered Semien befell Seager in the season’s first months. Seager himself said that learning all of the “new” aspects of his life played a huge role in his performance. But both Semien and Seager were able to overcome those tribulations and lead the team in WAR for offensive players (4.5 fWAR for Seager, 4.2 fWAR for Semien). Seager, despite his slow start, even earned himself a trip to the All-Star Game.
In addition to a track record providing hope for a bigger year from Seager, there’s one thing that was prevalent in 2022 that won’t be around for 2023. Beginning this season, the infield shift is banned in Major League Baseball.
On the surface, it doesn’t look like Seager should have been affected that much by the shift. Yes, he pulled his contact at a higher-than-league-average clip of 33%, but for half of the time he made contact, Seager drove it through the middle.
Ideally, that would produce some action on the basepaths at a great pace. But multiple studies showed that Seager was the hitter who suffered the most from the shift in 2022, potentially losing up to 25 hits. Add those into Seager’s 2022 totals, and you’re looking at a .287 hitter instead of a .245 hitter. Throw in a few times where those would have been situational or run-scoring hits, and you have a much more impressive looking offensive stat line.
Now, with one full season in Arlington under his belt and the absence of the shift, the lefty should be able to make his $35 million per year deal look like a steal. Already, his Spring Training serves as a nice indicator of his comfort level in the clubhouse with the routine of a “normal” spring.
That comfort level and relaxed feeling with which Seager is playing shows in the stats – and while they are just Cactus League tallies, Seager certainly seems to know where his groove is. As camp winds down, Seager is sporting a batting average just south of .475 with four homers, nine RBI and eleven runs scored.
Second year Seager is going to be counted on to be the catalyst for Texas’ rise to October baseball. It’s what the Rangers brought him to Texas to do after seeing him rule over their stadium under the biggest lights before.
Will Corey Seager end up a sneaky MVP candidate for the Rangers in 2023? Share your predictions with Matt on Twitter @FisherWritesMLB.
