Soon, the Rangers are going to need to make a decision on Corey Seager. You remember him, don’t you? He played shortstop for the 2023 World Champion Texas Rangers, won the Series MVP as a matter of fact, the second time he won that honor. 

Since then, he’s dabbled in baseball, becoming more of a baseball hobbyist than baseball player. He’s played in just 51 of the Rangers 88 games so far this year. And unlike the past two years, when he shows up this year, he’s not a force in the lineup.

This is the fifth year of a ten-year contract Seager signed before the 2022 season. In his second season, he led them to glory. Since then, it’s been nothing but disappointment for the Rangers, and frustration for Seager than he can’t stay healthy. 

With the trade deadline approaching in one month, on August 3, the Rangers need to decide if it’s time to trade Seager or keep him. Get someone to take a bulk of that salary and get some prospects in return, or keep him. 

Even though he’s struggling, a guy with Seager’s pedigree will be very attractive to teams looking for a big bat to take them over the top. Add to that the very real possibility there might not be baseball next year because of the impending labor war and inevitable lock out, which would mean Seager, whose body is starting to fall apart at age 32, would miss a great deal—if not all—of his age 33 season and would come back as a 34-year-old fragile shortstop. 

Rangers President of Baseball Operations Chris Young has a huge decision to make. Maybe before this season, it would have been harder. Seager was, rightfully so, a fan favorite. But this year, out of sight out of mind. He’s on his third trip to the I.L. If he’s in the lineup this year, it’s a surprise. If he contributes, it’s even more of a surprise.

Look, Seager is too good of a hitter with too deep of a track record to think he won’t get hot for a long stretch of time and carry a team. 

It’s just a matter of which team.

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