The date was April 29, 2018. The Dodgers were in San Francisco for the final game of a four-game series against the Giants. After having grounded out once and flying out (deep) twice, and just two days after his 24th birthday, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager lined a base hit up the middle in what would end up being a 4-2 Dodgers loss to The Hated Ones. It would also end up being Seager’s final at-bat in a major league game for the next 11 months.

The two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and 2016 National League Rookie of the Year would undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on May 4, 2018 and arthroscopic surgery on his left hip on August 7, 2018.

Although the projection all along has been that the extremely popular Charlotte, North Carolina native and Dodgers 2012 first-round draft pick would be fully recovered and ready to go on Opening Day 2019, he has yet to appear in even one Cactus League game this spring, with said Opening Day less than two weeks away.

However, on Sunday morning, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made it very clear that Seager will be the Dodgers starting shortstop on Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium and would not remain in Arizona for extended spring training or begin the season on the Injured List.

“Corey will come with us and I expect him to play with us [in the Freeway Series],” Roberts said. “Absolutely, we expect him to play Opening Day. In talking to the training staff and Corey, the progression, we’ve been conservative, understandably, and I don’t see any reason he won’t be ready Opening Day.”

Over the past two weeks, Seager has faced live pitching – even against Dodgers star right-hander Walker Buehler – and has played in several minor league games, including five innings on Saturday morning. And even though he didn’t field a ball at shortstop and grounded out in each of his three at-bats, Roberts is more concerned about how Seager feels after the workouts and the next day than his lack of hitting.

“To be quite honest, I’m not too concerned,” Roberts said. “It’s more of concerning myself with the body. With hitters, it can be an at-bat or a couple at-bats, and you can find something, your timing. So right now I just want to make sure his body feels good.”

One thing is certain, you can bet that this news has every Dodger fan on the planet feeling good right about now.

Play Ball!

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