Plagued by injuries and a plummeting batting average, the former five-time All-Star’s massive $325 million contract has become an immovable anchor for a Texas Rangers franchise seeking roster flexibility.
Currently on the 10-day Injured List, the Texas Rangers know they're in an uncomfortable position with shortstop Corey Seager.
The 32-year-old hasn't been himself this season, and injuries have been a huge part of that.
When looking at his massive 10-year, $325 million contract, it's nearly impossible to imagine a scenario where a team would pick up the remaining money owed to a struggling veteran who can't seem to stay healthy.
Currently in the midst of his fifth season with the Rangers, Seager is slashing .182/.292/.374 in 187 at-bats. All three of those numbers are career lows, and his .667 OPS is nowhere near the 1.013 it was during his career 2023 season.
Rangers are stuck with Seager
USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale wrote, "While the Texas Rangers could be interested in trading shortstop Corey Seager this winter, his trade value has absolutely plummeted. He has been on the IL six times in the past two years, and is owed $155 million over the next five seasons."
The team would love to throw in the towel, but there's only so much that can be done here in 2026. Seager's contract is the opposite of friendly, and there doesn't seem to be any buyers on the market who are that desperate.
If Seager's numbers were better, eating the money wouldn't be that huge of an issue for the rest of the league. Not only are his numbers bad, but he's once again going to be coming off an injury and no one has a clue how he'll look this time around.
This is a guy who was a 6.1 WAR player a year ago, so it's astonishing that number has fallen to 0.9. Ultimately, the Rangers are likely going to have Seager on the team for the rest of his contract and they need to realize that sooner rather than later.
No team is that desperate
There are plenty of buyers at this year's trade deadline, but there are far better options than Seager. His 10 home runs in 51 games stand out, but those can only get him so far. He's hitting under .200 for the first time in his career, but there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
In a small sample size during the month of June, Seager was slashing .194/.324/.484 with an .808 OPS. Again, those numbers are far from great, but his average was up ever so slightly and his OPS showed signs of life as he homered three times in 31 at-bats.
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