Although the Mariners and Athletics opened the 2019 regular season in Tokyo on Wednesday, MLB's traditional Opening Day is set for next Thursday. And, when the regular season begins, the Dodgers expect shortstop Corey Seager to be in the lineup despite the fact he has not played in an official game this spring.
Seager, 24, had Tommy John surgery last May and hip surgery last August. He has been working out at the team's spring complex and playing in minor league games these last few weeks. Here's what manager Dave Roberts told Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times about Seager's status for the season opener next week:
"Absolutely," Roberts said.
"I think just talking with the training staff and talking with Corey himself and just where he's at, the progression," he added. "I think that we've been conservative, understandably, and I just don't see any reason why he won't be ready for opening day."
Seager played five innings at shortstop in a minor league game last Friday and another seven innings at shortstop in a minor league game Monday. The team does not plan to have him appear in a Cactus League game, though Seager is tentatively scheduled to play in all three Freeway Series exhibition games against the Angels early next week.
The typical Tommy John surgery rehab timetable for position players is 6-9 months, and Seager will be approximately 11 months out from surgery on Opening Day. Plus he had the hip surgery on top of that, so the Dodgers are of course smart to take it slow with him in spring training. Seager is too good and too important to the franchise in the short- and long-term to aggressively rehab.
In 2017, Seager authored a .295/.375/.479 batting line with 33 doubles and 22 home runs in 145 games while battling elbow woes most of the season. The Dodgers figure to ease Seager into things early in the season, with Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez candidates to fill in at shortstop.
