MLB writer believes Corey Seager's Rangers' contract will be a 'nightmare' by 2028

Long-term contracts have become a staple in Major League Baseball over the last decade or so, and they don’t seem to be going away any time soon. Corey Seager is currently signed to Texas Rangers’ longest contract, as 2026 marks the fifth year of his 10-year, $325 million dollar deal signed in 2021. 

The longevity of contracts haven’t always panned out how teams hoped they would, and with so many now spread out over the league, a few are bound to be bad investments by teams. Texas is hoping that won’t be the case with Seager during the second half of his contract, but there are a couple glaring issues that could signal some trouble up ahead for the star shortstop.

Seager’s injury history not a good sign

Seager has had injury concerns over the course of his entire career, and they don’t seem to be aging well. His first big injury scare came in 2018 when he had to have Tommy John surgery and was forced to miss most of that season for the Dodgers, but the injuries haven’t slowed down since. 

The veteran has missed at least 39 games in the last three seasons, adding fuel to the fire about his ability to stay healthy amid a winter that saw possible trade rumors start to take shape. His injury history predicts that he won’t be able to put full seasons together as he gets older, which is a cause for concern.

The nature of his injuries is also something to be worried about, as he has dealt with elbow, hip and back problems throughout his career. Given that players’ bodies start to wear down given their age and the grueling nature of a 162-game season, Seager will have to be diligent in managing his injuries if he hopes to stay on the field for the Rangers in the second half of his contract.

Move to DH seems likely toward end of Seager’s contract

There are options for Seager beyond shortstop as he gets older, especially considering that his offensive numbers have stayed consistent throughout most of his career. Shortstop can become a more physically demanding place to play as players get older and start to wear down, which could happen to Seager if he continues to deal with injuries. 

Luckily for Texas, the team has a bright future at the position with Sebastian Walcott making his way through the minor league ranks. Walcott, 19, is MLB’s sixth-best prospect and one of the most promising prospects the Rangers have had in the last few years. The Bahamas native spent the 2025 campaign with Double-A Frisco Roughriders, hitting .255 with 12 home runs and 32 stolen bases. Given his youth and performance throughout his young minor league career, Walcott stands out as the most obvious option to replace Seager at shortstop should the veteran move to DH at some point in his career.

Long-term contracts not paying off as players get older

Although long-term deals have become commonplace over the past decade or so, the contracts have been largely unsuccessful in the long run. Players like Giancarlo Stanton, who signed a 13-year, $325 million dollar deal with the Miami Marlins in 2015 before being traded to the New York Yankees, have been kept off the field for long stretches at a time due to injury. 

Even players like Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Canó, all of whom signed deals for 10 years towards the middle of their careers, saw significant drops in production over the course of their last few seasons on those contracts. There is a lot of money to be made in the sport, and players know that, but that kind of money being given to players long-term isn’t always what’s best for the teams. 

Given the current state of injuries across the league and the significant dips in production that happens to almost everyone, the longevity of these contracts could be an issue as the current crop of mega-deals enters the second halves of their contracts.