Corey Seager's return to Dodger Stadium shows how lucky Rangers are to have him

He still wasn't back in the starting lineup on Tuesday night, but the Los Angeles Dodgers' crowd gave Corey Seager a warm welcome upon his return to Chavez Ravine.

Seager was part of the Dodgers 2020 World Series run that brought the Commissioner's Trophy back to Hollywood for the first time in over three decades. Not only was he part of that World Championship team, but Seager — just like he was for the Rangers last fall — was named the World Series MVP.

Seager may be one of the most underrated stars in today's game. In fact, the three All-Stars on the Dodgers roster (Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts) all garner more national attention than Seager. But Rangers fans are lucky to have the three-time Silver Slugger on their squad, and his reception at Dodger Stadium proves it.

Corey Seager's return to Dodger Stadium shows how lucky Rangers are to have him

When Seager stepped onto the field and waved to the crowd before the game, Dodgers fans screamed loudly and rose to their feet, cheering the former NL Rookie of the Year. Perhaps they wish Seager was still wearing that Los Angeles script across his chest with all the shortstop problems they've had since he departed.

The Dodgers deemed Seager too expensive after the 2021 season and allowed the shortstop to enter free agency. The Rangers, realizing how important a player like Seager could be to their World Series aspirations, inked the infielder to a 10-year, $325 million contract.

Since Seager left LA, the Dodgers have tried the likes of Gavin Lux, Miguel Rojas, Chris Taylor, Kiké Hernandez, and most recently Mookie Betts at shortstop. Betts is obviously an MVP-caliber player in the batters' box, but defensively he's been awful at shortstop this season. Seager's absence at shortstop in Los Angeles has never been more obvious than this season.

Seager is still nursing a hamstring injury, which has now accounted for four straight DNPs. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has insisted that an IL stint is not incoming, and Seager continues to be listed as day-to-day.

Once Seager is back in the starting lineup, the Rangers will need him to return to his All-Star form, as Texas has fallen well off the pace in the AL West. The Rangers are below .500, while the Seattle Mariners have caught fire and are putting distance between themselves and every other club in the division.

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