PHOENIX _ Dave Roberts made the declaration with conviction, not an ounce of doubt in his voice, Sunday morning: Corey Seager, the Los Angeles Dodgers' All-Star shortstop who hasn't played since undergoing elbow ligament-replacement surgery in May, will play on opening day.
"Absolutely," Roberts said.
"I think just talking with the training staff and talking with Corey himself and just where he's at, the progression," he added. "I think that we've been conservative, understandably, and I just don't see any reason why he won't be ready for opening day."
The Dodgers have maintained confidence in Seager's timetable. All along, they have been optimistic the shortstop would be ready for the start of the season. At the same time, Seager has not played in a Cactus League game this spring and started playing shortstop in minor league games only last week.
That apparently isn't a roadblock. Roberts said Seager, 24, was scheduled to take at-bats in a minor league game Sunday before playing seven innings at shortstop in a minor league game Monday. He'll then take a day off, join the Dodgers on the big league side after that and play in all three Freeway Series games against the Angels before opening day March 28.
Seager played five innings in a minor league game Saturday. He didn't field a ball at shortstop and grounded out three times in three at-bats.
"To be quite honest, I'm not too concerned," Roberts said of Seager's performance at the plate. "It's more of concerning myself with the body. With hitters, it can be an at-bat or a couple at-bats, and you can find something, your timing, so right now I just want to make sure his body feels good."
Seager last played for the Dodgers on April 29. He had elbow surgery the first week of May and arthroscopic surgery on his left hip in early August. The elbow, not the hip, has been the chief concern, and the Dodgers played it safe, holding him from playing the field until they were more than confident he could make all the necessary throws at shortstop.
Roberts said Seager will take on a lighter load than usual at the beginning of the regular season, but the Dodgers won't be conservative enough to put him in a straight platoon in the early going.
The Dodgers' other options at shortstop are Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor.
