{"id":38750,"date":"2020-09-24T15:10:16","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T19:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=38750"},"modified":"2020-09-24T15:10:16","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T19:10:16","slug":"corey-seager-comeback-poy-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2020\/09\/24\/corey-seager-comeback-poy-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Corey Seager Making Comeback POY Case"},"content":{"rendered":"

In his age 26 season, Los Angeles Dodgers\u2019<\/a> shortstop Corey Seager<\/strong><\/a> is putting together a terrific comeback season. Seager is among the National League\u2019s top 10 in batting average, slugging percentage, home runs, and RBIs. He has solidified himself in the number-two hole of the Dodgers\u2019 potent lineup.<\/span><\/p>\n

Highs and Lows of a Young Career<\/span><\/h2>\n

Seager shot onto the scene late in 2015, hitting .337 with four home runs as a September call-up. He secured his big-league status in 2016, having a breakout season in which he was selected as an All-Star, won Rookie of the Year honors, and finished third in MVP voting. He repeated as an All-Star in 2017, putting up similar numbers and leading the Dodgers to 104 wins.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seager\u2019s physical durability came into question in the 2017 postseason, when he missed the NLCS against the Chicago Cubs<\/a> with a back injury. Despite this obstacle, he returned to the team for the World Series and played all seven games.<\/span><\/p>\n

Early on in the 2018 season, however, Seager felt pain in his throwing arm. Upon further evaluation, he was diagnosed with a UCL sprain, causing him to miss the rest of the season for Tommy John<\/strong><\/a> surgery. During this time he also underwent hip surgery.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coming off two surgeries, Seager\u2019s 2019 campaign started slowly and then paused in June with a hamstring injury. Despite the missed time, he set a career-high in doubles with 44. While showing flashes of his everyday potential, Seager never fully regained the elite form of the beginning of his career.<\/span><\/p>\n

Back on Track<\/span><\/h2>\n

Despite the unprecedented conditions of the 2020 season, Corey Seager has made huge strides in reestablishing himself as a premier infielder. He’s hitting .325\/.377\/.609, good for an OPS of .986 which is sixth in the National League. If not for the shortened season, he probably would have been selected to his third All-Star Game.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seager’s power numbers are very impressive as well. His 14 home runs would be well on pace to top his career-high of 26 as a rookie. His home runs per plate appearance percentage is 6.6%, more than double his career average.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, Seager continues to be one of the most aggressive hitters in baseball. His 48.8% first-pitch swinging percentage is the fourth-highest in baseball, resulting in a first-pitch batting average of .324. His aggressive style blends nicely with the otherwise patient Dodgers lineup, which has drawn the fourth-most walks in the NL this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Health is Key<\/span><\/h2>\n

Corey Seager attributes much of his success<\/a> this comeback season to being fully strong and healthy for the first time in a while<\/a>. <\/span>\u201cLast year especially, I just wasn\u2019t physically as strong as I would like to have been,\u201d he said. \u201cJust being strong again and being healthy again has definitely helped that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His health has transferred seamlessly into production. Perhaps the most reassuring stat is his barrel percentage, which, according to Statcast<\/a>, leads all of baseball at 12.8%. A healthy Seager, along with the addition of MVP candidate<\/a> Mookie Betts<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> has given the Dodgers a lethal 1-2 punch at the top of the order. Betts and Seager have accounted for roughly 30% of the Dodgers\u2019 runs created<\/a>, helping offset the frequent slumps of Cody Bellinger<\/strong><\/a> and Max Muncy<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s playing like an MVP,\u201d manager Dave Roberts<\/strong><\/a> said of Seager. \u201cDefensively, offensively \u2014 I think he\u2019s in the top three as far as the quality of contact, how hard the ball comes off his bat. He\u2019s a doubles machine. Really excited he\u2019s healthy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Seager should be at the forefront of the National League Comeback Player of the Year conversation. Other candidates may include Marcell Ozuna<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> Wil Myers<\/a>, Didi Gregorius<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> and fellow Dodger AJ Pollock<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong> A healthy and rejuvenated Seager figures to play a prominent role if the Dodgers were to make a deep postseason run.<\/span><\/p>\n

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