What are Los Angeles Dodgers waiting for with Corey Seager?
It appears a year has made a world of difference to shortstop Jimmy Rollins. At 35 this time last year with the Phillies, he was hitting .246 with eight homers and 26 RBI. This year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he is hitting .200. That’s quite a drop off for the veteran.
So while Rollins and his $11 million salary struggle with the Dodgers, Corey Seager bides his time down on the farm. But Rollins isn’t just struggling with his bat. Defensively, he was ranked the sixth best shortstop in MLB by UZR in 2014 and still managed to post a dWAR of 1.0. This season, he ranks 20th by UZR standards amongst players at his position.
Rollins is a three-time All-Star, has four Gold Gloves and an MVP. His best days are behind him and he is in the final year of his current contract. It’s only reasonable that management gives him long enough an audition to play for possibly one or two more short-term contracts elsewhere in the league. But the future or the franchise is undeniably with Seager, so it might even be worth Andrew Friedman’s time to field any trade interests in Rollins.
Seager dominated Double-A last year hitting .345/.381/.534 over 38 games. He did more of the same beginning 2015 there and is now with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He has a healthy .299 average with four home runs and 20 RBI and is hitting .358 since May 25, including a six-hit performance that came on May 28.
A large portion of other clubs have already gotten in on the action with calling up top prospects and it’s not even July. Especially at the shortstop position. Addison Russell, Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor are all in the show if not for the remainder of the season, but at least currently. All have long-term staying power.
The Cubs are playing Russell at second due to Starlin Castro. The Dodgers have Howie Kendrick at second base, but have started four different players at third base this year. Trading Juan Uribe did not do much to free up a roster spot for Seager, as the Dodgers acquired infielder Alberto Callaspo in return.
Seager being roadblocked is an unfortunate circumstance for the Dodgers, but it’s their own doing. Perhaps Don Mattingly and Friedman did not think Seager would be ready for prime time at 21, though it’s now apparent he is. Finding room on the 25-man roster is the issue.
Justin Turner (.315-6-26) is by no means a liability to L.A., but he is 30 and probably won’t exceed any scouting report already out on him. He rakes against righties, struggles mightily versus southpaws and plays above average defense. That said, his ceiling is nowhere near as high as Seager’s.
If a solution comes about to rectify the situation and the potential of Seager playing with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a part-time basis could begin to overshadow veteran’s Rollins, Callaspo and Turner, the Dodgers should live by the “best man plays” motto for the remainder of the season with the Giants sneaking up on them in the NL West.