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Texas Rangers agree to sign Corey Seager to mammoth deal

By Noah Yingling

Oct 23, 2021; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (5) turns a double play during the first inning at bat in game six of the 2021 NLCS at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2021; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (5) turns a double play during the first inning at bat in game six of the 2021 NLCS at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Texas Rangers have signed their second big free agent infielder this offseason and they have signed both of them on back-to-back days. This time, the Rangers have reportedly agreed to terms with free agent shortstop Corey Seager to a 10-year deal worth $325 million, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

As Passan also notes, the Rangers have committed half of a billion dollars to sign two players: Marcus Semien (who was inked on Sunday) and Seager.

The Texas Rangers have agreed to terms with free agent shortstop Corey Seager

Corey Seager, who turns 28 in April, is a huge addition for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers signed Marcus Semien, but that did not preclude them from signing another shortstop. Now, Seager will likely play shortstop and Semien will play second base. He will also get a $5 million signing bonus and has a limited no trade clause in his contract, along with no opt out, per Jon Heyman.

Seager has struggled with some injuries in recent years as he only played in 100 or more games in one season since 2017.

In 2021, he only played in 95 games but he hit .306/.394/.521 with an OPS+ of 145. In 2020, he came in ninth in NL MVP voting after having even better numbers than he did in 2021. He hit .307/.358/.585 with an OPS+ of 150. In 2019, he led the NL in doubles with 44 and had an OPS+ of 112 but in 2018, he was limited to just 26 games due to injury.

Seager reunites with new Rangers hitting coach Tim Hyers as Hyers was a hitting coach with the Dodgers from 2016 through 2017 before he went to the Boston Red Sox.

Despite adding Semien, Seager, Jon Gray, and Kole Calhoun in the last 24 hours, the Rangers are likely not done yet. Between the four, they will earn roughly $77 million in 2021. The Rangers have said that they will add around $100 million to their payroll this offseason.

For their other additions, they will have to address their pitching staff more as the Rangers had one of the worst pitching staffs in the American League in 2021, when the Rangers lost 102 games.

dark. Next. With Scherzer (and Seager) gone, the Dodgers must make a move

Even without addressing the pitching staff further, the Rangers have automatically made themselves a contender in the AL West, despite their awful 2021 campaign.

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