The Rangers introduced Tuesday that they’ve positioned shortstop Corey Seager on the 10-day injured checklist. The transfer is retroactive to Might 11. Seager is once more coping with a proper hamstring pressure — the identical damage that despatched him to the IL from April 23 to Might 3. Catcher Kyle Higashioka has been reinstated from the 10-day IL in a corresponding transfer. He’d missed the earlier 12 days with an intercostal pressure.
It’s certainly a irritating state of affairs for Seager and the Rangers. As talked about, he solely simply returned from the IL barely every week in the past, however it appears he wasn’t 100% wholesome. He solely performed as soon as prior to now week and the membership has now determined to place him again on the shelf.
For the reason that transfer is retroactive, he may probably return in simply over every week. Regardless, the Rangers will likely be with out certainly one of their higher bats for some time. The membership’s offense has scuffled sufficient this yr to drive numerous adjustments, together with a training employees shake-up. Seager has not been part of the issue when within the lineup. He has a .300/.346/.520 line and 143 wRC+ for the yr. He’s certainly one of simply three gamers on the workforce with a minimum of 100 plate appearances and a wRC+ above 113, with Wyatt Langford and Josh Smith being the others.
Regardless of that, the membership has managed to remain afloat within the American League playoff race, presently sporting a 21-21 file. They’ll now should attempt to maintain issues rolling with out certainly one of their finest gamers.
The final time Seager was on the IL, Smith took over because the common shortstop, although Smith is himself banged up. He missed Monday’s recreation as a result of again soreness and is out once more Tuesday, with Ezequiel Durán overlaying brief for these two video games. Sam Haggerty may be the subsequent line of protection on the place whereas Smith is out.
Assuming Smith feels higher in a day or two, he would soar again in there. As talked about, he is among the Rangers having an incredible yr on the plate, presently sporting a .316/.395/.474 line and 149 wRC+. Durán, alternatively, is hitting .130/.160/.174.
Higashioka’s reinstatement will give the Rangers three catchers. When Higashioka’s damage popped up just a few weeks in the past, Tucker Barnhart was chosen to the roster to function Jonah Heim’s backup. Heim is catching Tuesday with Higashioka within the designated hitter spot. Joc Pederson is usually the DH however he doesn’t begin in opposition to lefties, so maybe Higashioka will take the small facet of a platoon with him at occasions. The Rangers are dealing with southpaw Kyle Freeland and the Rockies Tuesday.
Groups are typically reluctant to make use of a catcher within the DH spot, as an damage to the participant behind the plate would then drive them to maneuver the DH to the catcher place. Shifting a DH into any defensive spot means a workforce forfeits its DH and places the pitcher into the lineup. Having a 3rd catcher available provides the membership an opportunity to keep away from that situation.
