LOS ANGELES -- When Corey Seager went down with a fractured right hand on May 16, the Dodgers were hoping that their star shortstop would be ready to return at some point in early July.

Through the first month of the rehab process, it appeared as if Seager and the Dodgers were going to accomplish their goal. Seager was scheduled to go on a rehab assignment last weekend, but that was put on hold as the 2020 World Series MVP still feels some soreness and discomfort when he takes swings.

The Dodgers don’t know when Seager will return or when he’ll go on a rehab assignment. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Seager, who is still taking ground balls on a daily basis, didn’t suffer a setback. It’s more that the shortstop’s progression has “plateaued.”

“It just isn’t responding. Time is not helping us. He’s just not coming along,” Roberts said. “Still feels it when he hits, so we just feel we’re going to put it on the back burner and slow play it a little bit.”

Understandably, Roberts said Seager is frustrated with the lack of progression. He was optimistic about an early July return. Now, the Dodgers are just hopeful that he’ll be able to return at some point before the All-Star break or shortly thereafter.

“He’s working as hard as he can to prepare,” Roberts said. “Not ideal for anyone. I just think he’s just at a point where it’s like he’s frustrated.”

Until Seager is ready to return, the Dodgers will continue to trot out Gavin Lux at shortstop. Lux has been decent offensively, coming into Monday’s game with a .230 average and six homers. Lux, however, has struggled at times on the defensive end.

“I think, defensively, he’s getting more and more comfortable playing that position,” Roberts said. “I think that there were some lapses as far as the urgency, the footwork, but he’s cleaned a lot of things up and that sort of consistent playing time over there. He’s done a great job.”

McKinstry’s eye-opening adjustment
Since returning from the injured list, Zach McKinstry has struggled to put up the numbers he produced before going down with an oblique injury. Over the last few games, however, McKinstry has resembled the player who took the team by storm with his early production.

The key? He’s opening his eyes again.

That’s right. After McKinstry hit the first grand slam of his career in the Dodgers’ 7-1 win over the Cubs on Sunday, the utility man said that some of the L.A. hitting coaches noticed that he was closing his eyes on his swings.

He said it’s a problem he’s had since he was a kid.

“It’s wild to think,” McKinstry said. “But when I was doing rehab stuff, I would, when I tried to feel certain things on my body, I like to close my eyes so I can feel it more. And so I was closing my eyes on contact and we kind of saw that in San Diego and started working on it and making sure my eyes were open. It helped, and I started seeing the ball a little bit longer out of the pitcher's hand.”

The simple adjustment seems to be working for McKinstry. He entered Monday’s game against San Francisco with a hit in three consecutive games, including two homers.

“His eyes were closed, so I actually commend Zach for having the success he’s had at this point with having his eyes closed at contact,” Roberts said. “I’m glad we detected that. But, yeah, I guess he probably wouldn’t have hit the grand slam if his eyes were closed.”

Gray update
Dodgers’ top pitching prospect Josiah Gray continues to rehab after being shut down with a shoulder impingement in May. The right-hander has thrown live batting practices and simulated games at Triple-A Oklahoma City, but there’s still no clarity on when he’ll get into game action.

Once he returns, it’ll be interesting to see how he's used. Roberts hinted that the Dodgers might experiment with having Gray in a bullpen role, which could help him be a fit with the Major League roster at some point this season.

“I think there’s going to be a point where we’re gonna have to make a decision as an organization,” Roberts said. “We’ll make that decision [whether to use him as a starter or reliever] at some point, but that doesn’t happen until he gets built up to a couple of innings anyway.”