MLB Network host’s Corey Seager praise will go down as giant Dodgers mistake

World Series - Arizona Diamondbacks v Texas Rangers - Game One
World Series - Arizona Diamondbacks v Texas Rangers - Game One | Jamie Squire/GettyImages

Even with management as competent as the Dodgers', it's rare that you'll hear a front office actually own up to a mistake. The Dodgers have had a stellar offseason, but some of the team's biggest missteps have become even more glaringly apparent as players they've let go continue to excel for other teams.

Between 2020 and 2022, LA saw fan favorites and members of the 2020 World Series team Joc Pederson, Justin Turner, Kiké Hernández, Trea Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Corey Seager walk away from the Dodgers. They've all had varied amounts of success since leaving, but perhaps none have had more than Seager. We all know how the story goes — the Dodgers loosened the reins, and he slipped away in free agency to the Rangers, who he won World Series and MVP trophies with in 2023, despite having an injury-shortened season.

MLB Network's Greg Amsinger poured some salt into Dodgers' fans Seager-related wounds by ranking his 2015 season with the Dodgers at No. 1 on a list of top rookie shortstop performances.

MLB Network host’s Corey Seager praise once again prove Dodgers made a huge mistake

Seager hit .297/.367/.504 over seven seasons with the Dodgers, and he's really just gotten better with age, even after battling injuries. He was LA's first-round draft pick, a top prospect who actually worked out, and he should've been a Dodger for life. Instead, the front office seemed to favor Turner as their shortstop and lost out on him to the Phillies a year after Seager went to the Rangers.

Gavin Lux came in at shortstop in 2022, and he had a great year, but 2023 was a different story. Lux got hurt, and the Dodgers introduced a carousel of interim players to short. The ripple effect might say that this was a result of letting Seager go. Lux will be returning in 2024, which is great news for the Dodgers, but they'll also be watching him closely as he returns from a major surgery. Seager just underwent a hernia-related procedure of his own and will miss spring training, but he showed last year that he can miss 50 games in a season and still get very close to becoming AL MVP.

The Dodgers made their bed a long time ago — lying in it is the hard part. Seager will stay with the Rangers for eight more seasons and, by all estimations, will keep doing a good job for them. Sigh. Gavin Lux, you'd better come through.

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