I watched a baseball game on TV. I saw a well-known commentator, who’s been on this job for 30+ years. It was a while ago, I remember that a pitcher used to sign a long-term deal and the commentator mentioned a problem with his performance.
Well, that pitcher signed with the Rangers and the commentator indicated that the pitcher might not replicate his performance in Texas. And he compared that pitcher’s performance among MLB ballparks. Eventually, the commentator was right. A few days ago, I just recalled this story and began to think about some players who recently agreed to a deal with the Rangers.
And the first name that came to my mind was Corey Seager. Corey Seager inked a 10-year deal with the Rangers in December 2021. From 2022 to 2024, he was selected to the All-Star game each season and blasted 30+ home runs each season. In particular, Seager helped the Rangers win the Fall Classic in 2023 and was named the World Series MVP. Seager’s performance actually has been quite consistent in the Rangers uniform. Nonetheless, how about his performance at Globe Life Field?
Back in 2020, when Seager played for the Dodgers, he already showed that he can hit well at Global Life Field. But injuries limited Seager’s playing time in 2023 and 2024. He didn’t play 70+ games at Globe Life Field in each of those 2 seasons. Nevertheless, he didn’t let the team and the fans down. Over the last 3 years, his OPS was over .800 at this ballpark each season. In 2022 and 2023, he blasted 20+ home runs in front of the home crowd. The 2023 season was certainly an unforgettable one. He owned an OPS over 1.000 at Globe Life Field. In the meantime, it’s not a surprise to see the good results. Seager’s xwOBA was at least .400 over the last 2 seasons. He surely made solid contacts here.
Finally, let’s look at Seager’s performance at this ballpark in the postseason. Seager certainly did hit very well in the 2020 postseason. He won the NLCS MVP award and the World Series MVP award. Back then, the Dodgers played the NLDS, NLCS and the World Series at Globe Life Field. Seager collected 21 hits in 16 games. He crushed 7 home runs and owned an OPS over 1.000. In the 2023 postseason, Seager blasted 3 home runs in 6 games at Globe Life Field. His OPS was over .900. As we can clearly see, his xwOBA was .514 in 2020 and he owned a .496 xwOBA in 2023. The quality of contacts was excellent in the postseason.
Without doubt, Seager likes to hit at Globe Life Field. The outcomes weren’t a bubble. He made solid contact at this ballpark year by year. As long as Seager stays healthy, there will be little doubt that he can crush baseball at this ballpark. Looking back at the signing, at this moment, it looks like a good deal for both the player and the team. Firstly, Seager helped the team win the first World Series title in franchise history. Additionally, he certainly enjoys hitting at home. This season, Seager now has an OPS below .600 in 6 games at this ballpark. It doesn’t look very good. However, It’s just the beginning of the 2025 season. Let’s keep watching his performance.
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