Seager's tough month continues after getting scratched with back discomfort

CLEVELAND -- About two minutes into the Rangers’ eventual 4-2 win over the Guardians on Tuesday at Progressive Field, Rangers head trainer Matt Lucero noticed something was wrong with Corey Seager.

While Seager had gone through his pregame routine without any problem and was on the top step of the dugout with a bat in his hand ready to hit third in the lineup, Lucero still noticed that something seemed off.

After having a conversation with Seager, he called manager Skip Schumaker over to let him know that Seager was going to need to be pulled due to back discomfort.

“I had to pivot,” Schumaker said.

That pivot resulted in Schumaker pinch-hitting for Seager in the first inning with rookie Cam Cauley, who made his MLB debut the night prior.

After the game, both Schumaker and Seager said they’d know more about the injury on Wednesday.

“Hopefully it’s just a flareup and I’ll feel better tomorrow and we can go from there,” Seager said.

Seager’s absence from the lineup came a couple hours after Schumaker announced the Rangers had gotten good news about injured outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who could avoid the injured list after spraining his left AC joint over the weekend.

But Seager’s injury adds another ominous ailment to the Rangers’ ledger, especially since he missed 19 games earlier this season due to lower back inflammation. Seager described the theme of his pregame conversation with Schumaker and Lucero as “not trying to be dumb” and pushing through the injury.

The flareup adds even more insult to (literal) injury in what’s been a tough June. He missed 12 games earlier this month due to a concussion, and played in just three games last week before missing the first two contests of Texas’ series against the Guardians.

“It’s been a tough month, that’s for sure,” Seager said.

Seager entered Tuesday’s game slashing .182/.292/.374, with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs in 50 games. He had played in three games since returning from the concussion, going 1-for-10 (though his lone hit was a home run).

Cauley took Seager’s spot in the lineup and manned second base, which slid Nicky Lopez over to short from second.

A long-term injury to Seager would have a huge impact on the Rangers, who just placed Wyatt Langford on the injured list with a left hamstring strain and are having to play without Nimmo for the time being.

But those losses didn’t hurt them on Tuesday, as they got seven strong innings from Jacob deGrom and just enough offense to squeak past Cleveland to win their sixth game in a row.

“Baseball doesn't stop for anyone,” Schumaker said. “These guys have a willingness to win. Of course we want Corey and Wyatt and Brandon in our lineup. We have some really good guys who aren’t playing right now, and there’s no question that we want them back in the lineup.

“These are team wins, and it’s not surprising to me how this group has come together in the last month.”