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Corey Seager Knew Texas Rangers Had Never Won, Wanted to 'Build Something'

2023 World Series MVP Corey Seager signed with the Texas Rangers before the 2022 season to help build a contender from the "bottom" up.

Sure there was the money. To be exact, $325 million.

But the largest contract ever given by the Texas Rangers wasn’t the sole reason Corey Seager signed before the 2022 season. To be part of something special, something new appealed, too.

So did being a part of potentially the first World Series championship in franchise history.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager holds onto the World Series MVP trophy during the World Series championship parade Friday afternoon at Globe Life Field.

World Series MVP Corey Seager takes part in the victory parade in Arlington.

“It was definitely a drawing point for me. I won in LA,” Seager said, referring to his title with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. “They hadn’t won in 30 years and I saw what it did to a fan base.

“When I found out they had never won here that was something that intrigued me, to be able to start at the bottom and try and build something and compete and to be able to do it, it’s really satisfying.”

That also helped recruit big pieces like Marcus Semien and Jon Gray – yes, the money was big, too – that offseason.

The Rangers were rock bottom in their first year in Texas, finishing with 94 losses and a sixth straight season of missing the playoffs. Everyone now knows what happened in 2023.

“It was a lot of trust,” said Seager, a World Series MVP for a second time. “A lot of trust from them to me and me to them, and a lot of trust for Marcus to come, a lot of trust for Jon – all these guys that came here and had the same vision. It’s pretty cool to see it through.”

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