The Texas Rangers have sidelined shortstop Corey Seager with lower back inflammation, placing him on the 10-day injured list effective from Friday’s date.
In a related roster move, the team brought up utility player Michael Helman from their Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock.
Medical staff ordered an MRI examination for Seager on Sunday to identify the source of his back troubles after the player missed action since his last appearance against Arizona on Wednesday. The discomfort began Saturday morning.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Seager “was here (at the stadium) before me trying to get in the lineup.”
The 32-year-old infielder is struggling offensively this year with a .179 batting average and is currently mired in a career-worst streak of 27 straight at-bats without a hit. Through 42 games, he has recorded seven home runs and driven in 20 runs.
Now in his fifth campaign with Texas, Seager earned World Series MVP recognition in 2023 as the Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in a five-game series. That same year, he finished second in regular-season MVP voting behind Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels.
Seager previously captured World Series MVP honors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020 and has been selected to five All-Star games throughout his career.
Helman, who will celebrate his 30th birthday this Saturday, saw action in 38 contests for Texas last season and appeared in nine games for the Minnesota Twins in 2024. Across those appearances, he has posted a .239 batting average with five home runs and 20 RBIs.
