Dodgers: MLB Insider Says This is Corey Seager’s Last Opening Day in LA
Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager will be available as a free agent after the 2021 season. Seager is coming off of a monster playoff run and tore up any and all pitchers this spring. Dodgers beat writer for MLB.com, Juan Toribio, believes this is Seager’s last Opening Day with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Toribio joined MLB Sirius XM’s Dan Graca and Xavier Scruggs on Round Trip this week to discuss all things Dodgers. Inevitably, he was asked if Thursday’s season opener against the Rockies will be Seager’s last in Dodger blue.
“I would say yes. I think his price, not that this team lacks in any financial resources, but his price is going to be incredibly high.”
Agents for Corey Seager, Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez upon seeing Fernando Tatis Jr. contract extension pic.twitter.com/g3rwzQjCly
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) February 18, 2021
And now with Francisco Lindor inking a monster deal with the Mets, the brigade of premium shortstops is headlined by Corey. Moreover, assuming there aren’t any mid-season extensions on the horizon, Seager will join fellow shortstops Trevor Story, Carlos Correa, and Javier Baez in the free agent market this winter.
Related: Corey Seager Not Thinking About Contract Status, Extension, or Free Agency
Seager slashed .346/.424/.827 this spring and crushed eight home runs. Toribio suggests that Seager’s spring is a sign of things to come in the 2021 regular season.
Corey. Seager. pic.twitter.com/r2Tl148Joj
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 15, 2021
“I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the National League MVP. The guys is locked in, fully healthy compared to last year and the last couple of years. He’s a guy that could hit 40 homers from that position. I think, between him and Trevor Story, it’s going to be a bidding war this offseason.”
Seager looks and feels like a Dodger veteran, although he’s only turning 27 this season. He was an All-Star and Silver Slugger in 2016 and 2017, before he took home the 2020 NL and World Series MVPs. He was also the 2016 NL Rookie of the Year.
The Dodgers front office, led by two-time Executive of the Year Andrew Friedman, has a big decision to make when it comes to Seager this winter.
Juan Toribio, who is as plugged in as anyone to the Dodgers, believes the price will just be too high for Los Angeles.
Like it or not, today might just be Seager’s last Opening Day as a Los Angeles Dodger.
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The only reason Seager will play elsewhere in 2020 is a desire to play closer to his home in Charlotte NC, or his favorite team growing up, the New York Yankees. The Dodgers will not hesitate to pay for performance and will not be outbid.
Lux to SS; Busch to 2B. Next man up.
as long as Lux’s D is far superior to Corey’s. Typical error today on fundamental play for a middle infielder by Seager.
Not after the 6th. inning.
The Dodgers should have locked him up before the season…they gave Bauer and Mookie big money as newcomers and Seager put them on his back in the playoffs…loosing him in FA would be a huge loss…actually disrespectful
If Boras has convinced Seager to wait until after the season to see what his market is, the Dodgers can offer till the cows come home.
FWIW, Houston’s Correa was asked what kind of contract he was looking for in free agency, and he replied “B-I-G!”
Not sure how many teams will need a good shortstop, but if there’s too many SS and not enough teams that want an expensive one, it might keep contracts slightly reasonable…
Seager is 10 times better than Bauer. He will get paid if he wants to play for LAD. Also we have a lot of $ coming off the books next season.
I’m surprised by the lack of attention to Seager’s lackluster defense. He makes simple plays look difficult and seems to have difficulty making throws without looking off balance. Hitting is scary good but the Dodgers can win without him.
It’s a long year, so we’ll see how Seager responds. And, how well, or not, Lux plays.
He will love the short little league porch in the Bronx!
This is the game these guys play. What if Seager gets hurt? There are many pitfalls that can come in a long season. If Seager has a great season then he goes with my blessing because Boras will get someone to over pay for an average SS who can hit. He is not Lindor and will slowly degrade at the position and will probably have to move to third eventually. Lux to SS next man up at 2nd base. If Seager helps win another WS great time to move on. 7 pretty good years with at least one WS is a steal.
He will remain in Dodger town.
He will remain in Dodger town. (And we will like it)