Roberts: Seager should be ready by OD

Shortstop's first spring game to be determined; Jansen set for more rigorous Spring Training than last year

February 12th, 2019

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It was reporting day for pitchers and catchers on Tuesday, but manager Dave Roberts also addressed the status of the Dodgers' shortstop, , who is coming off elbow and hip operations.
"We're tracking for him to be ready Opening Day," Roberts said of the All-Star and 2016 Rookie of the Year, who missed nearly all of 2018 with Tommy John surgery and the arthroscopic repair of the torn labrum in his left hip.
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Opening Day might be ambitious, especially as Roberts said it's still "TBD" when Seager will be ready to play in games, which begin for the rest of the squad next week.
"I wouldn't say he's running at 100 percent, but just seeing the video and talking to trainers, the eye test, he looks really good and looks really strong," said Roberts. "The arm, he's throwing to like 90 feet, but not across the diamond."
Roberts said Seager should need 50 to 60 at-bats to be game-ready, many of which he can get in Minor League games, but the hip will also limit how much time he can spend on his feet playing defense.
"To get to two or three at-bats in [big league games], that's down the road," Roberts said. "We're going to have to see how many defensive innings he can log because, arguably, that's going to be harder than at-bats."

Closer , coming off a second heart procedure, is healthy and ready for a more serious Spring Training after last year's "vacation" backfired and led to an erratic beginning of the season.
"We'll be more aggressive with him this year," Roberts said.
The manager was non-committal about who would get the lion's share of playing time behind the plate between and .
"It's a very good duo," Roberts said. "It could be a [matter of] chemistry with how we feel a certain catcher lines up with a certain pitcher. We'll let these guys make their way through the spring and see where it takes us. We're betting on an uptick in offensive production from both of them this year."
Roberts also said the "narrative" of the Dodgers platooning at multiple positions last year was not by choice but out of "survival." was acquired to be an everyday center fielder.
"We put ourselves in a tough spot last year through April," Roberts said. "We get Corey Seager back, we expect 's splits to be more similar to '17, so I think the model isn't necessarily to platoon, it's just the way it worked out, out of necessity."
Honeycutt on injured list
Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt will miss 10-14 days of Spring Training after undergoing surgery for a herniated disk in his back on Tuesday. Honeycutt, 64, said he received epidural injections during the offseason for the condition, which began bothering him late last year. He said doctors told him the injury, which included a small fracture, was the result of wear and tear after 21 Major League seasons.
Bullpen coach Mark Prior will fill in until Honeycutt returns to duty.
Spring TV schedule
SportsNet LA will broadcast 20 Dodgers Spring Training games, with 17 games on AM 570, eight games on Spanish radio and an additional five webcasts on Dodgers.com. Among SNLA, AM 570, KNTQ 1020 and the webcasts, there will be a transmission on all but two Dodgers Spring Training game days.
SportsNet LA will televise live Dodgers games every Saturday and Sunday throughout Spring Training, including matchups against the White Sox (Feb. 23, March 16, March 23), Angels (Feb. 24), D-backs (March 2), Rangers (March 3), Mariners (March 9), Rockies (March 10) and Brewers (March 17) in a National League Championship Series rematch. SportsNet LA will also televise all three of the Freeway Series exhibition games against the Angels from March 24-26.