Dodgers News: Jimmy Rollins To Remain Starting Shortstop

Since being called up to the Majors on Sept. 1, Corey Seager has shown Los Angeles Dodgers fans as well as the rest of Major League Baseball why he was a top-10 prospect coming into the 2015 season.

Heading into play Sunday, Seager had reached safely in his last nine plate appearances, which included a 4-for-4 game on Saturday; one of the hits was the rookie shortstop’s first home run in the Majors.

Seager has seen more playing time than initially expected as Jimmy Rollins has been relegated to nothing more than pinch-run duty over the last six games. Despite Seager filling in admirably, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Rollins will remain the club’s starting shortstop, according to ESPN’s Mark Saxon:

I don’t know what the chatter is or if there is chatter about Corey and that position or whatever. He’s going to be really good, and he is really good. At this point, with where we’re at and what’s going on, we don’t plan to change,” Mattingly said. “Andrew and Farhan haven’t come to me and said, ‘You’ve got to get him in there every day.”

Although Seager may not start as frequently at shortstop once Rollins returns from a sore knuckle on his right index finger, Mattingly added he’ll still manage to get the rookie into the lineup:

The plan always has been to play him some at short and give Jimmy days, give [Justin Turner] days at third. He’s played more than we thought from the standpoint of injuries and he’s done a good job.”

In the first few days after Seager joined the Dodgers, Mattingly indicated the bulk of his playing time would come at third base. For his part in the matter, Seager stated he’s equally comfortable at shortstop and third.

Since the All-Star break, the veteran Rollins has become a spark plug for the Dodgers, though is currently battling a sore knuckle on his right index finger. He’s now batting .220/.279/.355 on the season and indications are Rollins will return to the lineup on Tuesday night.

Over 10 games (eight starts) with the Dodgers, Seager is batting .412/.524/.647 with five doubles and seven RBIs.