The Dodgers finally broke their 32-year championship drought by winning the World Series this year with a 6-game victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Dodgers had inflicted a lot of pain on Dodger fans by losing in the postseason for seven consecutive seasons before finally getting over the hump in 2020. The lack of a title hung over the franchise like a black cloud for a long time, seemingly with no end in sight. That was until this season.
One could definitely argue that without Corey Seager’s fantastic season, the Dodgers don’t win the World Series. Most will point at superstar and MVP Mookie Betts as the primary position player that led the Dodgers to the World Series ring. Certainly Mookie’s excellent defense, base running and timely hitting were key. But let’s not forget about Corey Seager’s historic postseason.
I wrote before about how Seager was having a great regular season. He was finally healthy and was scorching the baseball as the Dodgers entered the postseason. Little did we know that Seager’s great hitting would continue into the playoffs and give him one of the best postseasons not only in Dodgers history but in baseball books as well.
During the regular season Seager slashed .307/.358/.585 with 15 home runs, 41 runs batted in and a 152 OPS + in 232 plate appearances. He was one of the best all year long. In the playoffs he was even better. His efforts and achievements earned him NLCS, and World Series MVP awards. He became just the eighth player in MLB history to win LCS and World Series MVP awards in the same postseason.
In the NLDS against San Diego Seager slashed .364/.467/.545 (4 for 11) with two doubles, three runs batted in and three walks. In the NLCS the shortstop slashed .310/.333/.897 (9 for 29) with 5 home runs, 11 runs batted in and 8 runs scored. No other National League player has ever hit more than 5 home runs in a playoff series, and only Nelson Cruz in the 2011 ALCS have hit more than 5 home runs in a postseason series. He followed that performance up in the World Series by posting a .400/.556/.700 line (8 for 20) with 2 home runs, 5 runs batted in, 7 runs scored and 6 walks. The last Dodger hitter or hitters to win World Series MVP was back in 1981 when Pedro Guerrero, Steve Yeager, and Ron Cey took home Tri-MVP honors.
Seager hit 8 home runs and drove in 20 runs for the Dodgers this October. His eight home runs are a Dodger record in the postseason. There is no question that Seager was one of the Dodger’s many heroes this postseason, leading them to their first World Series win since 1988. The Dodgers don’t win the World Series without him.
Corey Seager stepped up to the plate, and shown what a heathy Seager can do. What an offensive powerhouse he proved to be, both in the regular season and Post-season.with Mookie leading off, and then followed by Bellinger and Muncy, Cory seemed to get better pitches, as opposing pitchers did not want to put two runners on, and set the table for the Dodgers’ #3 & #4 hitters.
I personally feel that the history making NLCS and World Series MVP should have also won the Silver Slugger as well, but was robbed of the trifecta by a Stinkin’ Gnat. Other than BA, I believe Cory had posted better offensive numbers than Solano.
One thing they cannot rob him of is his World Series ring. Congrats to Cory Seager, for an awesome historic year, and 2020 World Series Championship. Thanks for leading the way to bringing the World Series Championship back to Los Angeles.