Rangers to Move Corey Seager to Injured List for Third Time in 2026

For the third time this season Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager will go on the 10-day injured list.

Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) reported the initial decision by the Rangers, who followed up shortly with an official announcement.

They moved Seager to the injured list due to lower back inflammation and promoted infielder Josh Smith from Triple-A Round Rock. Smith was already in Cleveland and on the taxi squad as the Rangers were debating whether to put outfielder Brandon Nimmo on the 10-day injured list with a sprained A/C join.

The Rangers are right back where they were in late May with both outfielder Wyatt Langford and Seager on the injured list.

Corey Seager’s Injury Plagued 2026

Hear from Corey Seager after experiencing back tightness during warm-ups tonight: pic.twitter.com/hionxNsV22
— Rangers Sports Network (@RangersSNtv) July 1, 2026

Seager was in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game with Cleveland but was removed after the top of the first inning with back discomfort. He said after the game to Rangers Sports Network that everything was fine with the back during his usual warm-ups and the issue didn’t come up until after he took the field just before pre-game.

The two-time World Series MVP has already been on the injured list twice this year, once with a lower back issue. He was on the 10-day injured list from May 18-June 4 with lower back inflammation. He returned and played more than a week before he was involved in a home plate collision with Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen on June 11.

Seager dealt with mild concussion symptoms after the collision and missed the entire Boston series after Kansas City. Rangers moved him to the 7-day concussion IL on June 15. He returned on Thursday in Toronto.

The Rangers have been trying to ramp Seager up slowly since he returned with strategic off days to avoid injury. In this case the back flared up again.

The move does give Smith a chance to return to the Majors. The opening day starting second baseman missed more than a month with a right glute injury, a wrist injury and a bout with viral meningitis. He was on the injured list from May 5-June 15, returned briefly and was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on June 19 to get more playing time.

Smith was not in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game. Justin Foscue was starting at second base, Nicky Lopez was at shortstop and Ezequiel Duran was playing right field for Nimmo, who is hoping to avoid his first trip to the injured list this season.

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