Are the glory days over? Texas Rangers Corey Seager's painful fall and suffering > News

Seager's recent situation is truly a mixed bag. After colliding hard with the catcher while rushing home in the last game against Kansas City, he immediately showed symptoms of concussion and was placed on the injured list. What is surprising is that even after the collision, he showed fighting spirit by playing to the end of the game and even hitting a home run, but his health condition deteriorated rapidly after the game ended and is preventing his return. The club's medical staff and coach Skip Schumacher are closely monitoring his condition, but due to the nature of the concussion injury, the symptoms fluctuate greatly, making it difficult to estimate the exact time of his return. The fact that he complained of dizziness and headaches again during training clearly shows how vulnerable he is currently.

What was bothering Seager even before the injury was a severe batting slump. The batting average of 0.186 and OPS of 0.657 that he showed in the poor record of 47 appearances this season are far from the glory of the MVP who dominated the league in the past. In particular, the shocking record of no hits in 27 consecutive at-bats proves how much of a psychological and technical challenge he is currently facing. His slump is so unusual that it is said to be his first slump in 12 years, suggesting that there may be a problem with his overall batting mechanism beyond simple lack of condition. Why is he, who was once praised as the best hitter in the league, collapsing so helplessly? Even experts are continuing to analyze in-depth his batting form and decline in bat speed.

Seager's departure is a painful blow to the Texas Rangers. Seager, who has already suffered from constant minor injuries such as back inflammation, leg injuries, sports hernia, and appendectomy, has become the biggest variable hindering the team's stable operation. Coach Schumacher is seriously considering using a designated hitter to maintain Seager's stamina, but is in a dilemma as he cannot give up his excellent defensive ability. To fill Seager's vacancy, Josh Smith, who recovered from meningitis, was brought back, but this is only a temporary measure and is not enough to completely fill the team's overall power gap. With other key players, including Evan Carter and Michael Hellman, joining the injury ward, Texas' plans for this season are in complete disarray.

This incident once again brings to mind the risks of large, long-term contracts. The huge ransom of $325 million over 10 years is a source of pride for the player, but it also places a huge burden on the club every year. With Seager unable to play his role, the absence of a leader who could focus the team directly led to a decline in the performance of the Texas Rangers as a whole. The team has publicly acknowledged that Seager's recovery has been slower than expected and is working to come up with a Plan B to replace him. Beyond simply the player's individual skills, it is time to fundamentally reflect on the club's medical system and player protection policy that failed to manage injuries.