'Playoff' Corey Seager Goes Next Level for Texas Rangers
BALTIMORE — This is why the Texas Rangers wanted Corey Seager.
The All-Star shortstop has World Series pedigree with a legendary performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2020 championship season.
Now the Rangers are seven wins away from returning to their first World Series since 2011 and Seager is leading the charge.
"Winning is contagious. We have players who have won World Series who know the feeling," Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien said. "I'm seeing playoff Corey Seager vs. regular-season and regular was an MVP candidate.
"But seeing the way he's going about his business in the playoffs vs. the regular season, it's a step above. So everybody is hungry and ready to win, and that's what keeps us going."
Seager has 13 homers and 36 RBI in 61 postseason games. His homers ranks third all-time for shortstops in the playoffs behind Derek Jeter (18). He also is tied for fourth with 16 go-ahead RBI, fifth with 13 go-ahead hits, and sixth with nine game-winning RBI.
"That's one of the best offenses in baseball, if not the best offense in baseball," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. "And extremely dangerous. Athletic, power, a ton of power. Corey Seager, [I've] seen him a ton. I've been on teams where he really hurt us. Just a really special hitter and a really great player."
This is exactly what the Rangers had in mind when they signed Semien and Seager in the spring of 2022.
"Our goal last year was to be here. Obviously, we needed a lot of pieces. [General manager Chris Young] and ownership went out and got the pieces we needed," Semien said. "Our lineup has matured and experience has helped us get better. Corey and I have understood where we're at in Texas and what our routine is.
"I just see a different bounce in his step, obviously. I'm a shortstop. I pay attention to what all the shortstops are doing. You see a little more bounce in the step. And he already has a good step. It's just a little different."
Seager cooled off at the plate a bit late in the season, which cost him a batting title. But once the postseason hit, so did Seager.
"He's been hitting the entire year. He's going to hit," Semien said. "He had maybe a slow last week of the season, we show up in Tampa and he's back locked in with four big hits for us. And that's what I've watched over the years, you know. As the Dodgers went further and further every year it was Corey Seager leading that team."
You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.
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