Corey Seager injury: Wrist X-rays negative after Rangers star struck by pitch vs. Orioles

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Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager exited Saturday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles after being struck around the hand/wrist area with a pitch from lefty Cade Povich. Initial X-rays on Seager’s wrist were negative, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Seager is expected to be reevaluated on Sunday morning, but, for now, it appears he may have dodged a serious injury.

The incident occurred on a full-count fastball during the top of the fifth inning. Seager immediately went to the ground and was in obvious discomfort. He then returned to his feet and walked off the field alongside a trainer without much deliberation. Here’s a look at the entire play in whole:

Seager was replaced in the field by Josh H. Smith, who had started the game at third base. Smith, in turn, was replaced at the hot corner by rookie Davis Wendzel. 

Should this early diagnosis hold, Seager will be the second quality American League shortstop this week to evade a broken hand/wrist on a hit by pitch. Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa exited a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this week after being struck in a similar area. Correa subsequently returned negative X-rays and hasn’t missed any action.

Seager is no stranger to taking pitches to the hand/wrist area; he previously suffered a broken hand on a similar play back in May 2021. That too came on a high-and-tight fastball from a left-handed pitcher (Ross Detwiler) and resulted in Seager missing more than two months of action.

Seager, 30, entered Saturday having hit .258/.342/.439 (123 OPS+) with 14 home runs, 36 runs batted in, and a stolen base in his first 71 games. His contributions had been worth an estimated 2.3 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference’s calculations. 

The Rangers, the defending World Series champions, came into play on Saturday with a disappointing 37-45 record on the season, putting them nine games back in the American League West. The Rangers were also eight behind in the hunt for the final AL wild-card spot.