We knew that Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star shortstop Corey Seager would get paid the big bucks on the MLB free-agent market this winter.
We just had no idea where the World Series MVP would land. Until now. Multiple media reports on Monday indicate that Seager, 27, has signed a 10-year, $325 million with the Texas Rangers. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to break the news.
This is an absolutely extraordinary contract for a rebuilding Rangers team to hand Corey Seager. It also comes after Texas doled out $175 million over seven years to reigning AL MVP finalist Marcus Semien. This squad now has the best middle infield that money can buy.
Impact of the Texas Rangers signing Corey Seager
Surprisingly active on the free-agent market after posting 102 losses a season ago, Texas has now exhausted $561.2 million on Seager, Semien, Jon Gray and Kole Calhoun. It’s pretty darn clear that general manager Chris Young is looking to compete this coming season.
A first-round pick of the Dodgers back in 2012, Corey Seager has morphed into one of the best infielders in the game. This past season saw him hit .306 with 16 homers, 57 RBI and a .915 OPS despite missing 67 games to injury. He won the 2020 World Series MVP after Los Angeles took out the Tampa Bay Rays.
To say that this is a monumental day for the Rangers’ franchise would be an understatement. There’s still a lot of work to do in order to compete with the Houston Astros in the American League West. But Seager and Semien are starts.
As for the Dodgers, they’ll now turn to Trea Turner to be their full-time shortstop after acquiring him in a mid-season trade with the Washington Nationals. Turner, 28, led the National League in batting with a .328 mark a season ago.