Los Angeles Dodgers lose Corey Seager for rest of the season

The Los Angeles Dodgers quest to dig out of their early season hole took a major hit as Corey Seager is lost for the season.

As the calendar turns to May, the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in an unexpected place. The preseason favorites to represent the National League in the 2018 World Series, the Dodgers instead found themselves at 12-15, fourth place in the NL West. Considering that, in 2017, no team with a losing record on May 1 went on to reach the postseason, the Dodgers struggles have to be all the more alarming.

If the Dodgers are to climb their way back into contention, it is understandable that they would be relying upon their stars. However, those plans took a major blow today, as it was announced that All Star shortstop Corey Seager has been lost for the year due to Tommy John surgery.

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Although Seager was not producing at the same rate he had been in the past, he was still a key part of the Dodgers offense. He produced a .267/.348/.396 batting line with eight extra base hits in his 115 plate appearances. Although those numbers were below what one would have expected from Seager, the Dodgers had hoped he would warm us as the season continued.

Instead, they now have a giant hole on the left side of the infield. For now, Los Angeles will plug Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez at short, with Breyvic Valera recalled from the minors to take Seager’s place on the roster. While Taylor has shown some pop in center for the Dodgers this season, and Hernandez has been a valuable utility player, neither are capable of being the type of shortstop that Seager has been over the course of the year.

At this point, the Dodgers need to make a decision at short. Even though Justin Turner is returning from his own injury soon, the left side of the infield is still much weaker than had been expected at the start of the year. Even though teams are not looking to make trades at this point, the Dodgers may be well served in exploring all possible options.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers rough start to the 2018 took another hit, as Corey Seager has been lost for the year. If they are to climb out of their early season hole, it will be without the services of their young star.