All-Star Shortstop Undergoes Surgery After Another Injury-Riddled Year

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. The Rangers have not disclosed when Seager will return to action. The 32-year-old experienced injury issues throughout the 2026 season, being placed on the injured list three times, though none were directly related to his elbow problem.

His injury woes began with lower back inflammation in May, followed by a concussion-related absence in June and another back inflammation issue in July. Seager played a total of 102 games for the Rangers in 2026, mirroring the number of games he played the previous year. He had only played 150 games or more in a season once since joining the Rangers from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022—his first season with the team.

Over his five-year tenure with the Rangers, Seager has appeared in 597 games, compiling a .849 OPS, 137 home runs, and 354 RBIs. His contributions were instrumental in the Rangers' World Series victory in 2023, earning him the World Series MVP award with a stellar postseason performance. The Rangers, who narrowly missed the postseason this year, finishing one game behind the Houston Astros in a weak AL West division, would greatly benefit from Seager's return before the 2027 season.

Despite playing just 20 games and hitting .736 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs, Seager's presence in the lineup would have significantly impacted his team's performance. For now, the five-time All-Star will concentrate on his recovery during the offseason, aiming to have a healthy season for the second time in a decade and lead his team back to the postseason for the first time since 2023.