LOS ANGELES — Corey Seager returned to Dodger Stadium in a big way, hammering a go-ahead, three-run homer that reminded Los Angeles Dodgers fans what they’ve been missing.
The Texas Rangers‘ 3-2 victory Wednesday night was Seager’s first regular-season game at Dodger Stadium since he left as a free agent in 2021 and signed a $325 million, 10-year deal with the Rangers.
The homer was his 60th at Dodger Stadium, sixth most among active players. The 422-foot shot in the fifth inning off Walker Buehler registered at 111 mph, his hardest-hit homer of the season. It also tied for the longest he’s hit this year. He’s gone deep 14 times so far.
Fans gave Seager a warm welcome after the Dodgers played a video of his career highlights with them at Tuesday’s series opener, when the 30-year-old shortstop missed his fourth straight game because of a hamstring issue.
Seager was in the lineup Wednesday as the designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a strikeout. He’s likely to serve in the same role for the series finale Thursday.
“It’s good to have Corey back. We saw what he means to us,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “We missed him.”
The Rangers hung on for the victory Wednesday when Dodgers rookie Andy Pages ran through a stop sign and was thrown out at the plate for the final out.
Seager was the 2016 National League Rookie of the Year and 2020 NL and World Series MVP with the Dodgers, then left as a free agent after the 2021 season.
The crowd of 48,930 cheered him his first time up but booed when he came up again after the homer.
“It kind of comes with the territory, I get it,” Seager said. “I don’t blame them.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.