Notebook: Seager feels good, building up throws after offseason of rest and rehab
by Rowan Kavner
Three days before the first full-team workout at Camelback Ranch, Corey Seager was on the field Friday fielding grounders and running the bases with his Dodger teammates.
Seager arrived at camp a few days ahead of schedule, a good sign for the Dodger shortstop who dealt with a sore elbow late last year and a sore back that forced him out of the National League Championship Series before returning for the World Series.
“Feel good,” Seager told reporters Friday. “Did all the rehab, did all that kind of stuff … Little delay just to start a throwing program, but the back feels good.”
Seager said he started his throwing program the beginning of January and hasn’t felt any problems physically, apart from being a little stiff — something he attributed to the cold weather back home in North Carolina.
The Dodger shortstop didn’t need any surgery or procedure this offseason for his injuries, which manager Dave Roberts said was a relief. Instead, the focus was on rest, rehab and strengthening.
Seager said he hasn’t tested his arm too much, but it seems to have worked.
“Right now, everything’s good,” Seager said.
The first steps Seager will need to take as he gets ready for Spring Training will include expanding the distance of his throws. He said with the delayed throwing program, he hasn’t yet thrown more than 100 feet or to bases as he slowly works his way back.
Roberts said he wants Seager to be mindful of his workload, but he still believes the Dodger shortstop is durable enough to be a 150-game type player, as he was two years ago.
Neither Seager nor Roberts seemed concerned about Seager’s Opening Day availability. When different ailments popped up the past two springs for Seager — a knee injury in 2016 and an oblique injury in 2017 — he was ready for Opening Day both times, most recently hitting a home run as part of a two-hit game in the Dodgers’ 2017 opener.
“He’s in great shape from what I hear and what I would expect Corey to be in, so there is a component to backing off a little of the workload, and that’s what we’re doing with a lot of our guys, too,” Roberts said.
Camelback Quick Hits:
- Alex Wood is dealing with a right ankle tweak and didn’t throw his bullpen session Friday, but it sounds like all tests are precautionary.
- Air dates and times have been announced for this year’s LA Sports Awards show, with the initial airing this Monday, Feb. 19, at 8:30 p.m. PT on Fox Sports West, followed by an airing at 10 p.m. on Prime Ticket. Cody Bellinger was named 2017 Sportsman of the Year and the Dodgers shared LA’s top billing for №1 sports moment of the year.
- The Dodgers’ full squad reports Feb. 18, while the team’s first Cactus League game is one week away Feb. 23 against the White Sox.
- Dennis Santana, Kenta Maeda, Zach Neal, Manny Bañuelos, Josh Fields, Yaisel Sierra, Edward Paredes and Joe Broussard each threw their first official bullpens today.
