Rangers star SS Seager to miss at least 4 weeks
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager will miss at least four weeks after being placed on the injured list Wednesday with a left hamstring strain after getting hurt running the bases.
General manager Chris Young said Seager had an MRI that showed a Grade 2 strain. Seager, who got hurt in the fifth inning of Tuesday night’s game against Kansas City, spent nearly a month on the IL with a left hamstring strain during the 2019 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Somebody of Corey’s caliber is not replaceable, but it leads to opportunity for other players to step up. And that’s what good teams do,” Young said. “All good teams, every team, goes through injuries. And we knew something like this would happen, didn’t know when or to whom.”
Texas went into Wednesday night’s game against the Royals leading the AL West with a 7-4 record.
While Seager went on the 10-day IL, the Rangers activated switch-hitting center fielder Leody Taveras from that list. Taveras, who was set to return from his rehab assignment sometime this week, began the season on the IL because of a left oblique strain sustained during batting practice early in spring training.
Taveras was back in the lineup batting seventh for the Rangers. Josh Smith was the starting shortstop and hitting second, Seager’s usual spot in the order.
Seager was off to an impressive start in the second year of his $325 million, 10-year contract with the Rangers. He got hurt running out an opposite-field double into the left-field corner, his fifth consecutive game with an extra-base hit. He was seventh in the American League hitting .359 overall, and with nine walks had a .469 on-base percentage.
“He’s disappointed. Obviously, no player wants to be injured. Corey is off to a great start. He’s been swinging, even through spring training to the beginning of the season, as well as anybody in the game,” Young said. “He’s bummed about it, disappointed not to be out there with his teammates. … We’ll get him back healthy and he’ll pick right up where he left off.”
After cleanly making the turn around first, Seager took a few more steps before he suddenly pulled up and then limped the rest of the way to second base. He briefly reached toward the back of his leg, bent down and then almost immediately started going back toward the Rangers’ dugout, even before a team trainer got all the way out to check on him.
Smith took over as the pinch runner and stayed in the game at shortstop. Smith avoided an IL stint last week after he got hit by a pitch in the face and needed six stitches. The Rangers also have utility player Ezequiel Duran, who can play short, on the roster.
“We feel like we have good depth and versatility in the infield with Smith and Duran and certainly we are excited to see more of them and hopefully fill the void as best we can until Cory is ready to come back,” Young said.
Seager played 151 games in his debut with the Rangers last season, when he never missed more than three games in a row. He hit a career-high 33 homers and was an All-Star for the third time.
But he missed about 2½ months of the 2021 season with the Dodgers because of a fractured right hand after getting hit by a pitch. Along with the previous hamstring injury, he was limited to only 26 games in 2018 because of right elbow surgery.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs and free agent Colin Rea have agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract, reuniting the right-hander with manager Craig Counsell, a source told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers on Friday.
The 34-year-old Rea made one appearance with Milwaukee in 2021 and then pitched in Japan during the 2022 season before returning to the Brewers. He went 12-6 with a 4.29 ERA over 27 starts and five relief appearances for the NL Central champions last year.
Counsell managed Milwaukee for nine years before he was hired by Chicago in November 2023.
Rea gives Counsell and Chicago another versatile arm for their pitching staff. The Cubs have Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd for their rotation, but Rea could push Javier Assad for the fifth spot or work out of the bullpen.
Rea became a free agent when Milwaukee declined its $5.5 million club option on his contract in November. The Iowa native was paid a $1 million buyout.
Rea was selected by San Diego in the 12th round of the 2011 amateur draft out of Indiana State. He made his big league debut with the Padres in 2015.
He pitched for the Cubs during the 2020 season, going 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in nine appearances, including two starts.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has banned two fans who interfered with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts during a World Series game at Yankee Stadium from attending games at big league ballparks.
The league sent a letter to Austin Capobianco and John P. Hansen this week informing them of the decision.
“On Oct. 29, 2024, during Game 4 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium, you interfered with play by intentionally and forcefully grabbing a player. Your conduct posed a serious risk to the health and safety of the player and went far over the line of acceptable fan behavior,” said the letter, the contents of which were first reported by the New York Post and later obtained by The Associated Press.
“Based on your conduct, Major League Baseball is banning you indefinitely from all MLB stadiums, offices, and other facilities,” the letter said. “You are also hereby banned indefinitely from attending any events sponsored by or associated with MLB. Please be advised that if you are discovered at any MLB property or event, you will be removed from the premises and subject to arrest for trespass.”
MLB has previously issued leaguewide bans for fans who trespass on the field or threaten baseball personnel. A fan who approached Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. at Colorado’s Coors Field in 2023 received a similar ban.
Capobianco and Hansen were ejected from the game on Oct. 29 and banned from Game 5 the following night.
Betts leaped at the retaining wall in foul territory and caught Gleyber Torres‘ pop fly in the first inning, but a fan in the first row with a gray Yankees road jersey grabbed Betts’ glove with both hands and pulled the ball out. Another fan grabbed Betts’ bare hand.
The Yankees at the time called the behavior “egregious and unacceptable.”
The team said Friday the two fans MLB banned were not season-ticket holders. The Post reported Friday that the person who is the season ticket holder was not at the game and will be allowed to keep them.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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