Dodgers Call Up Top Prospect Corey Seager

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers are calling up top prospect Corey Seager, per Jon Heyman of CBS.

The young 3B/SS possesses a .292/.343/.486 slash batting line across stints in Double-A and Triple-A, adding 18 home runs, 37 doubles, and 76 RBI; these are the types of numbers an offense that has scored ten runs in its last seven games needs.

Seager brings a spark to the lineup and the presence of a more complete hitter. His ability to put the ball in play points to increasing RISP and runs scored.

A compact swing and high slugging percentage (.487) can fit in different spots and give manager Don Mattingly more options on the lineup card. Despite a better second half, shortstop Jimmy Rollins is hitting .188 with a .235 OBP in his last 15 games.

Third baseman Justin Turner is nursing a sore pinkie after a HBP and is hitting .118 with a .196 SLG in his last 15 games. These slumps call for the top prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America.

In 2013, the Dodgers were 24-32 and in last place of the NL West. The call-up of Yasiel Puig quickly changed that. Over his first 30 games, Puig hit .420/.449/.706 with 8 home runs and 19 RBI, leading the Dodgers to a 92-70 first place finish.

The Dodgers currently hold a 6.5 game lead over the San Francisco Giants due to a recent hot streak, the result of a team response to Kershaw’s remarks after the team’s fifth consecutive loss.

Even though the Dodgers have won seven of their last eight games, the offense is relying heavily on home runs. Per the Los Angeles Times’ Bill Shaikin, 47 percent of Los Angeles’ runs have been scored via the long ball.

Led by Adrian Gonzalez and Joc Pederson, the Dodgers’ roster have nine hitters with at least nine home runs. Although this may seem like a positive attribute, the offense is inconsistent. This doesn’t bode well for a team likely to face dominant pitching in the postseason.

If the Dodgers can spark rallies across the starting lineup and string hits together, then they will be a close favorite with the St. Louis Cardinals to win the National League pennant. The power is clearly there, the starting pitching has been dominant, and the bullpen has shaped up, posting a 0.85 ERA with nine holds and five saves over the last eight games.

With the Dodgers facing 24 NL West teams in their last 30 of the season, Seager will be introduced to the division the team expects him to be a leader against.