This season, there’s a Dodger player who is racking-up some impressive stats. Rookie sensation and 2016 MLB All-Star shortstop Corey Seager accomplished a career-best 19-game hitting streak that was ended last Thursday at Dodger Stadium against the Padres.
The streak tied for the second longest by a Dodger rookie behind only Tommy Davis’ 20-game run in 1960, and was the longest streak by a NL hitter this year. Seager also continues to lead the Dodgers in hits, runs and homers, a feat no Dodger rookie has been able to accomplish since Jackie Robinson did it in 1947.
Seager also participated in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby but was eliminated after one round. He is just the eighth rookie to compete in the Derby. Two other Dodgers joined him on the NL All-Star roster, closer Kenley Jansen and pitching ace Clayton Kershaw.
Jansen and Seager made their first All-Star appearances of their careers, while Kershaw earned his sixth-career selection. Through just 90 team games with 17 homers, 22-year-old Seager trails only Hanley Ramirez by two (19, 2013) for the Dodgers single-season home run record by a shortstop.
When asked about his accomplishment (hitting streak), Seager’s response was humble and modest. “It was a combination of luck, good pitches, and good swings,” he said.
It seems that Seager is living up to the expectations the Dodgers had when they drafted him in the first round with the 18th pick in 2012. He came into this season as a candidate to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised his young All-Star.
“There’s really nothing he can’t do on the baseball field…the at-bats, the late-inning production, playing a premium defensive position, hitting the ball out of the park, driving in runs, taking a walk when he needs to, running the bases,” Roberts said. “He’s really continued to get better. It’s scary to think he’s only 22 and how much he’s grown and already become a very, very good major-league player at this stage in his career.”
As the second half of the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how opposing pitchers strategize to neutralize his great bat and if he can maintain his consistency.
So far, Seager has shown the world that he is a special player.
Steven LIeberman is a veteran sports/arts/entertainment journalist. Lieberman has covered entertainment and professional sports, Including the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, for the past 14 years. Among his entertainment work, Lieberman covers concerts, theatre and events.