Corey Seager dodges major injury, expects to miss two weeks

(AP photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

ARLINGTON — An MRI exam on the right thumb of All-Star Corey Seager showed no structural damage, and the Rangers shortstop expects to return in two weeks.

The Rangers placed Seager on the 10-day injured list and recalled catcher Sam Huff from Triple A Round Rock a night after he delivered a walk-off single.

“They said just a week or so inflammation in general and then pain tolerance from there,” Seager said. “Obviously you don’t want anything too bad. It could have gotten a lot worse than it was.”

Manager Bruce Bochy moved Travis Jankowski into the second spot in the lineup, and Ezequiel Duran was inserted at shortstop.

“A guy like Travis you can have that flexibility and build the lineup the way you like,” Bochy said. “Obviously, they’re different hitters. There aren’t too many hitters around who are like Corey.”

Seager hits the IL batting .350 with 15 homers, 29 doubles and a 1.044 OPS. He was injured legging out that 29th double, as he dived-head first into second base and held the bag with his right hand. He exited the game immediately and left the field shaking occasionally shaking his hand.

Seager missed 31 games earlier this season with a strained left hamstring, but the Rangers went 19-12 and sprinted into first place in the American League West. Josh Smith initially took over a shortstop, but Duran overtook him and become an everyday player.

The Rangers used Jankowski, Duran and Robbie Grossman in the No. 2 hole during Seager’s first absence, and Bochy indicated that the same trio could rotate in that spot.

“It’s not always just one player, it’s a team,” Bochy said. “These guys really showed a lot of resolve last time it happened, and that’s what we have to do now. Like I’ve said many time, you have no choice.”

Seager could return as the designated hitter while working back more slowly on throwing.

Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com