Dodgers: Corey Seager Reveals the Main Reason He Left LA
On the whole, the Dodgers seemingly improved their roster this offseason. They re-signed franchise icon Clayton Kershaw and managed to steal Freddie Freeman from the Braves. But not everything came up roses. Longtime shortstop Corey Seager ended up signing a massive deal with the Texas Rangers prior to the December 1 lockout.
In an interview on MLB Network Radio Sirius XM, Seager talked about one significant factor, in addition to the decade long, $325M contract the Rangers offered, that led to him leaving the Dodgers.
“We’re trending upwards. Woody [Chris Woodward] was a huge part of my decision. Knowing how he is, knowing how he approaches the game, knowing how I am and how I approach the game. The stars aligned.”
The bond between Chris Woodward and Corey Seager is well documented. Before taking the Rangers job, Woodward was the Dodgers third base coach and built a great relationship with Seags.
But the connections don't stop there. The Rangers also hired Tim Hyers this offseason to serve as the club's hitting coach. Woodward and Hyers were both on the Dodgers coaching staff for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Hyers played a large role in Seager's offensive development.
In that same interview, Seager also spoke to the Rangers front office being a strong selling point.
“Then, you get CY [Chris Young] and JD [Josh Boyd] in there with the same mindset and the same approach. That hits home and it’s something you want to be part of.”
Seager's former teammate, Clayton Kershaw, has also talked about how impressive Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young this offseason.
Apparently the nine-figure contract wasn't the only reason Seager decided to leave the Dodgers.
