Seager placed – Corey Seager was placed on the 10-day injured list with lower back inflammation, forcing the Rangers to reshuffle their infield and outfield. Manager Skip Schumaker said Seager returned to Arlington for further testing and could begin baseball activities in An
DENVER — When Corey Seager stepped away from the lineup, it wasn’t the kind of decision that comes with drama. It came with a simple, worn-out reality: “backs are tricky,” manager Skip Schumaker said, and pushing through it could mean missing “a significant amount of time.”
On Monday in Colorado, the Rangers announced they placed Seager on the 10-day injured list with lower back inflammation. In the corresponding move, utilityman Michael Helman was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.
Schumaker said Seager went back to Arlington on Sunday for further testing on his back. The hope is that Seager can rejoin the team in Anaheim later this week to begin baseball activities.
Seager hasn’t been able to stay fully healthy for long stretches. He missed 60 games last season, and he has not played more than 123 games in any of the past three seasons with Texas. An appendectomy sidelined him for much of 2025.
Before Friday’s day off, Seager was stuck in a seven-game hitless stretch. His season line now sits at .179/.286/.353.
Schumaker said the usual rhythm of rest wasn’t the issue here. This season, he has been known to give players off-days to reset, including Josh Jung and Jake Burger. With Seager, that wasn’t the plan. His scheduled off-day was about keeping him healthy, but the timing didn’t hold.
“I don’t think Corey wanted days off,” Schumaker said. “There’s a lot of guys that have a different mind. Corey is one of the best players in the league. He wants to be out there, so this was not something that he wanted. As far as him needing a reset, that’s not who Corey is.”
With Seager out, the Rangers will lean on Ezequiel Duran at shortstop for most of the playing time. Duran is hitting .270/.336/.443 in 38 games this season, and he has already worked across multiple positions, playing second base, shortstop, left field and right field.
Justin Foscue is expected to handle most of the second-base reps, with Josh Smith also currently sidelined. Michael Helman, meanwhile, will mostly play the outfield. He also remains available as the backup shortstop, with the ability to play second base if necessary.
The Rangers aren’t only replacing a hitter on the schedule. They’re trying to keep an injury from turning into something bigger—because with a lower back, that risk is never theoretical.
Corey Seager Rangers injured list lower back inflammation Skip Schumaker Michael Helman Ezequiel Duran Justin Foscue Josh Smith
10-day IL for a back thing is basically nothing, right? He’ll be back fast.
Wait so he went on the IL because his back inflammation is lingering… but they said he had an appendectomy earlier? Like that doesn’t even sound related. I don’t get it.
Skip Schumaker said Corey didn’t want days off which is kinda like… ok but isn’t the whole point to rest injured guys? Seems backwards. Also .179?? dude needs to stop swinging.
Back inflammation “could mean missing a significant amount of time” like they’re trying to scare us but not really. Meanwhile they’re throwing Duran at short like he’s some kind of magic fix. And Helman back from Triple-A… I feel like the Rangers always do this shuffle when someone’s hurt but then it turns into a bigger deal anyway.