Walk This Way: Corey Seager Sets Playoff Walks Record as Texas Rangers Beat Baltimore Orioles Again

Corey Seager, one of baseball's most aggressive hitters, showed plenty of patience as the Texas Rangers defeated the Baltimore Orioles in Game 2.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is considered one of the most aggressive hitters in baseball. Few swing at the first pitch as often as he does.

One shouldn’t take aggressiveness for Seager not being a selective hitter. After all, he nearly won the American League batting crown despite missing more than a month due to injuries.

He also has a history as an exceptional postseason hitter, as he was the MVP of both the National League Championship Series and the World Series in 2020 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But on Sunday in Game 2 of the AL Division Series, Seager did something he had never done before in the Rangers’ 11-8 victory. over the Baltimore Orioles.

In fact, Seager did something no player has ever done before.

He walked five times in a postseason game. No Major League player had ever done that in 1,760 postseason games.

All of that offense and Seager got on base five times via walk and score twice. But he went 0-for-1.

Corey Seager, 5 Walk/Bat Toss Mechanics. pic.twitter.com/Nbj6vRj6Wz

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 8, 2023

“Corey, five walks, you take it. He's getting on base,” manager Bruce Bochy said after Texas took a commanding 2-0 series lead. “And that's what you're trying to do is get guys on base, put pressure on them, and the guys did a great job of it with the long at-bats, and we got their starter out of there. Just a terrific job throughout the order.”

The Rangers had 11 walks in the game, so Seager wasn’t the only one drawing free passes. He was just the most prominent.

Seager, naturally, broke the Rangers’ single-game postseason record of four, held by Josh Hamilton in Game 2 of the 2010 AL Championship Series. His five walks were the most by any Rangers player in a postseason game since Mike Napoli drew three in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

It was strange to say the least. Seager had at least one hit in each of his first three postseason games for the Rangers, as he went 5-for-11 with three doubles and two RBI. But after Sunday’s game, he now has nearly as many walks (nine) as he does official at-bats.

Seager also reached base at least three times for the fourth straight postseason game. Only three other hitters have done that in baseball history — Frank Thomas (Chicago White Sox) in 1993, Edgar Martinez (Seattle Mariners) in 1995 and David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox) in 2007.

Rangers-Orioles ALDS Schedule, Results

(Best-of-5 series, all times CT)

Game 1: Rangers 3, Orioles 2

Game 2: Rangers 11, Orioles 8

Game 3: Baltimore at Texas, Tuesday, 7:03 p.m., Fox

Game 4: Baltimore at Texas, Wednesday, 6:07 p.m., FS1*

Game 5: Texas at Baltimore, 7:03 p.m., Friday, FS1*

*-if necessary

Rangers Name ALDS Game 3 Starter

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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