AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS VS ORIOLES

October 10, 2023

Corey Seager

Globe Life Field

Texas Rangers

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Corey, for you to play this first playoff game in this stadium, period, it's been a long time since the Rangers have experienced this. For you to have been such an integral part of it and kind of the vision, when you signed here, have you thought about it, or do you even think about what it's like to kind of see this? Do you appreciate what it's like to have this experience right now?

COREY SEAGER: Yeah, absolutely. I think we're all really excited in this clubhouse. Just knowing where we've been, knowing what we've accomplished this year excites everybody. We know our fans are excited. Ownership's excited. Front office is excited, coaches. Everybody's really excited about this moment. We don't take it lightly.

Q. We talked so much that last day in Baltimore about your five walks. I know you're very steady in your approach at the plate. Is it difficult for you when they're not giving you anything to hit? Like you want to knock one in?

COREY SEAGER: Yeah. I mean, I think we all know I like to swing. So I probably would have not bet that I would have been the person to do that. But, yeah, I mean, this team's really good at staying within themselves. We've talked about it all year about passing the baton, and I feel like we've done that extremely well this postseason. You're just trying to continue those at-bats.

Q. Corey, beyond the contract, what did you like about the Rangers' vision when you signed here?

COREY SEAGER: I'm a pretty meticulous guy so just to hear how thought-out and planned they were. It wasn't just my year. It was what they saw in the minor leagues, what they saw in future free agents. It was just kind of the whole atmosphere, process, and to go back to the playoffs. When I won in L.A., it was a long time since they'd won. I saw what that did for a fan base. When I heard they'd never won, it was extremely exciting for me to be part of something and to be able to be on the ground for and build that.

Q. What do you remember about playing here in the 2020 postseason and was there a palpable difference, empty versus even the limited fans that were there for the World Series?

COREY SEAGER: What do you mean? Sorry.

Q. Just like you played a playoff game in an empty ballpark.

COREY SEAGER: Yep.

Q. What was that like, and then when the fans were allowed in, how much different was it?

COREY SEAGER: You almost got used to it just because of the year, right? We didn't have fans. Even the first round, I think it was, what, like 1,500 or 5,000 people. It's a noticeable difference. You don't need the background sound, the fake noise, stuff like that.

When people are there, you feel the atmosphere more. You feel the sense in the air, whatever you want to call it. So we're all extremely excited about how this atmosphere is going to be tonight.

Q. When you talked to Chris and John about coming here and you talked about how meticulous were and you wanted to know what they were doing, did they give you a time frame for when they expected to be a challenge like this? Have you met the time frame? Are you ahead of it?

COREY SEAGER: They've pretty much met everything that they told me.

Q. You say you're a meticulous guy. We can see that in how you go about your day. Have you always been like that or is it something you've kind of grown into in your professional career?

COREY SEAGER: I've definitely always been like that. I think you just tinker a little more when you're younger. You don't really know yourself yet. You don't know what makes you tick, stuff like that. So it's definitely kind of solidified in the last couple years, for sure.

Q. So I guess the theme of the day is your meticulousness. But in the vision, you know, when you played here in 2020, you liked the stadium. You liked it a lot. You liked the hitting background, and you talked about that stuff. Is there, in your mind, a noticeable difference in this stadium with the roof open versus the roof closed?

COREY SEAGER: I don't know if I've played enough with it open. It's a really cool ballpark both ways, though. I enjoy when the roof is open visually and aesthetically. But from a performance aspect, I don't know, to be honest with you.

Q. If you were putting into words what it is you like about hitting about this stadium, you always say the background. People like the background. Can you elaborate a little bit on what kind of in your field of vision, what makes sense?

COREY SEAGER: I think it's just the space. It's a spatial thing. We're not too wide. Foul ground territory. Then it gets really big going out. So it doesn't feel like the guy's right on top of you.

Q. We talk a lot about young guys like Evan Carter and Josh Jung, what they've done in the playoffs. What has impressed you about Leody Taveras, what he's done this year and the postseason?

COREY SEAGER: Leody in general, had a really good year last year and then built on it. That's impressive to do. Stayed within himself. He had a little bit of struggles, I think, August. But stuck to what he knows, makes him work. And that's a hard thing to do. When you're struggling, you try and do everything and anything. He stayed within himself and got back on track. He's been huge, been a catalyst for the team in September and going into the playoffs.

Q. Corey, we've heard recently about the propensity for Creed music inside the clubhouse. Can you talk about what you like about how this team is carrying itself? Are there any similarities to that 2020 Dodgers team?

COREY SEAGER: Yeah, you know. It's something to bond over, I guess, is the right way. That's the hard thing about teams, right? You have people coming in and out. How do you gel? How do you come together? How do you fight for each other? You find little ways on different teams and that's one of our ways. It's kind of just a random thing that everybody started singing to one day and it's kind of built on itself.

Q. Corey, if you would call yourself meticulous, how would you describe Josh, a guy who, young like yourself, came in, fought back from injury and doesn't seem to be frazzled by any of the big moments?

COREY SEAGER: Yeah, same thing. He probably found out who he was faster than I did. He's built a really good plan for himself and he doesn't get off of it. He knows there's going to be things that he has to still learn, which is impressive, but he knows who he is. He knows what he wants to accomplish, and he goes out and does it.

Q. Corey, we always talk about veterans teaching the rookies. But what have the rookies like Evan and Josh taught you?

COREY SEAGER: Not so much what they teach. It's just what they do for you, right? Like you get through a long season, and then you need that spark. We've had a couple of those throughout the year. You need that extra little energy, that extra little edge, just a little more hustle, that little thing that just pushes you and reminds you of where you are in the season and what you're looking for, and it's extremely beneficial.

Q. Corey, Marcus made the comment that he's observed your work ethic for the last couple of seasons, and then now that the postseason has hit, it's on a new level. Is that by design, or do you notice that, or is that something that he's noticed?

COREY SEAGER: Are you asking me about him or about --

Q. Well, do you feel like you've taken it up a notch as far as all the things you do and how, I guess, locked in you are?

COREY SEAGER: Yeah. Everything's just heightened, right? You're not trying to do anything different. You're just more focused. That's not the right word, but it's just more intense. Everything matters. It's just a different game. It really is. There's no way around it. So you have to have a different edge, different approach.

Q. On the subject of Marcus, 162 games, started every game. You've started pretty much every game you've been healthy. When you look at the guy next to you on the diamond in this day and age, plays 162, pretty much plays every inning, what stands out for you about that achievement?

COREY SEAGER: Achievement is the right word. People just don't do that. Whether it's mentally, physically, whatever, people can't withstand that. And for him to be able to do that and show up every day and go through everything, go through his process, compete, play, not want to come out of games, that's a hard lesson -- or a hard thing to do. And it's a great lesson for young players to show up to work, you know. He does it every day.

Q. The follow-up on that, do you think there are guys who have kind of picked up on that? I mean, I think in Oakland, he talked about some of the older guys that he kind of followed. Do you think there are younger guys here that are also kind of following that work ethic?

COREY SEAGER: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. People are going to do it in different ways, obviously. Marcus has his routine that works for him, just like Josh has his. And just being able to do it every day, that's the hard thing. And that's what Marcus is showing people how to do and what to do. It really is special.

Q. Corey, with Marcus, you two came in together, obviously. I don't know how much you knew each other before you got here, except for that time way back then. Talk about how the relationship has developed and how different it is now than it was when you guys first got here and got started.

COREY SEAGER: I'd say open is the right word. Just dialogue-wise, right? Like you meet somebody new, you're always tentative, you always don't want to offend, step on his toes, take away from what he does, stuff like that. You learn each other.

We've learned each other over the last two years, and we're in a great spot, you know. I know where he's going to be. He knows where I'm going to be. And that's just the gel and the camaraderie that you need to build with your double play partner and a guy that you're going to play with every day.

It's the same thing with Josh Jung. To be able to know what he's going to do, know how he's going to react, that's just what you need to do for a team.

Q. What have you thought of your season to date?

COREY SEAGER: I haven't, to be honest with you. I truly haven't. Sorry.

Thank you, guys.