Corey Seager doesn’t want to discuss free-agency during regular season

Following the 2021 season, Corey Seager is going to be one of the hottest names on the free-agent market. He’ll join a number of other highly touted shortstops across the game that will be hitting the market.

After a fantastic 2020 campaign that featured him winning the NLCS and World Series MVP’s, you’d think the Dodgers would want to make sure they do whatever they can to bring back their All-Star shortstop. While LA may be working behind the scenes on a contract to keep Seager in Los Angeles, Seager isn’t focused whatsoever on that.

“That’s not the focus at all,” he told reporters over Zoom on Thursday. “The focus is right now. It’s no other thinking other than that.”

Since he came up, Seager has been one of the best shortstops in the game... when healthy. He’s missed significant time since 2016, as he’s appeared in only 72 percent of possible games. That’s largely due to his 26-game season in 2018, but he’s dealt with a number of different injuries throughout his young career.

He said that he doesn’t want to focus on the free-agency process at all during the regular season, as he doesn’t want it to become a distraction. His number one goal is showing up to the field every day and doing whatever it takes to help the Dodgers win a game.

Seager doesn’t think that this will be a distraction during the season, but is sure that the media will continue to ask about it, which he understands.

When asked about Seager’s pending free-agency, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that it won’t be a conversation he needs to have with Seager. He’s not expecting it to be a distraction either.

A friendly reminder that Seager is a client of Scott Boras. If I were a betting man, I wouldn’t expect an extension during the regular reason. Seager will be a free-agent for the first time in his career, and he’s earned the right to test the market.

Notes

• Left-handed pitcher Mike Kickham will start the first game on Sunday. Dave Roberts said it’ll be one inning
• In addition to the first game, Roberts expects Austin Barnes, Chris Taylor and AJ Pollock to be in the lineup
• Roberts said that Kenley Jansen looked “exceptional”. The life to his fastball and command looked great
• Roberts said that Corey Knebel will do “a lot of great things” for the Dodgers in 2021. He’s expected to pitch leverage innings
• Joe Kelly continues to work his way back after being sidelined to begin the spring
• Edwin Rios got in action at third base and first base
• Tim Federowicz has been filling in for Keibert Ruiz while he’s been absent
• Alex Vesia said he was “shocked” when he learned of trade to Dodgers. Said that he feels right at home so far during camp