Los Angeles Dodgers: Five players to watch in the NLDS
By Jason Reed
SS Corey Seager
Like it or not, Corey Seager is this Dodgers’ offense and when he struggles, the team as a whole struggles. While many may look at Cody Bellinger as the team’s saving grace this season, Seager has been the consistent run producing bat at the number two spot all seasons. When Seager sat out and was struggling at the plate, Los Angeles was losing.
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When Seager is swinging a hot bat the Dodgers lineup becomes so much deeper, especially at the two spot. Following a leadoff hit, Seager at his best thrives at making hard contact on the ball and putting a runner in scoring position. When the Seager was struggling, Justin Turner and Bellinger were not getting the same run-producing opportunities they were before.
Los Angeles was ridiculously bad with runners in scoring position to end the season. A big part of that is Corey Seager.
Those same second and third opportunities with one out turned into first and second with two outs. The Dodgers were missing their most consistent bat, the bat that took a back seat to Bellinger, and fans were noticing it.
Luckily for the Dodgers, Seager finally began to turn it around late in the season and returned to old Corey Seager form. The shortstop has a .210 batting average with three home runs and 12 RBIs since the start of September. Two home runs and six of those RBIs came in the last seven days, where Seager hit .353.
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The Dodgers do not Seager overachieve to win this series. The pitching staff is great and the bats can explode at any time. However, if the Los Angeles Dodgers want to win this series, they need Corey Seager to play like good ‘ol Corey Seager.