Corey Seager's Slump Is Now a Texas Rangers Problem, Not Just His Own

When does a sample size become large enough for a fan and a team to rationally be worried about a player’s performance? Is it 20 games? Forty? Sixty? A full 162-game season?

Perhaps the answer to that question is in the eye of the beholder. Because for a vast majority of fans, the worrying begins the second the season commences. Of course, that isn’t rational, but it’s the reality of what fandom does to a person.

For Corey Seager, worrying about his performance has never been an issue. Even when he goes through slumps, it’s almost a certainty that he’ll come out of it on the other side with a renewed vigor. He’s simply one of the best hitters in the game — not even the dog days of summer can keep him down for long.

But through 39 games so far in 2026, Seager has not looked like his normal self. He’s slashing a measly .193/.300/.379 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs. For the first time in probably forever, Seager’s OPS is below .700. It’s just not been a fun time at the office for the two-time World Series MVP.

So, is it time to worry? Or will baseball’s blues pass Seager by in no time?

Seager’s Swing-and-Miss Numbers Are Concerning

On one hand, Seager’s issues at the plate can be boiled down to just two numbers: his whiff percentage and his strikeout percentage. Both of those figures are intertwined, obviously, and since both are higher than usual, some concern is warranted.

Seager is currently whiffing 35.5% of the time and striking out in 27.6% of his plate appearances. For comparison, he posted a 27.9% whiff rate and 19.6% strikeout rate in 2025. In 2023 — the year Seager finished as both the World Series MVP as well as the runner-up to Shohei Ohtani for the regular-season American League MVP award — Seager struck out just 16.4% of the time and posted a whiff rate of only 25%.

What’s somewhat encouraging is that all the other underlying numbers signal that most things are normal. His barrel percentage is in the 93rd percentile of all MLB hitters, while his hard-hit rate is also near the top of the league, though it’s not where it has been in recent seasons. His walk rate is also pretty good, which shows that he still has a good eye for the ball and that opposing teams are still wary of what he can do at the dish.

Still, Seager shouldn’t be swinging and missing as much as he is, especially on pitches out of the zone. He’s currently chasing at a 28.8% clip, which isn’t the worst figure in history, but is also something that Seager needs to improve upon if he wants to get back to his greatness.

Rangers Still Should Trust Corey Seager’s Track Record

Do the Texas Rangers need to worry about Corey Seager? At this moment in time, the answer to that is no. Yes, 39 games is a large sample size, but Seager is the definition of a professional hitter and his track record shows that something’s going to click at some point in the future.

There is some reason to be concerned about the level of performance, however, at least when it comes to him getting back to where he’s been in the past. There’s every possibility in the universe that Seager improves but doesn’t play with the awe and wonder that he’s been capable of during his time with the Rangers. The team is counting on him to be Superman. If he’s not, then that’s a recipe for a disastrous season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow