Surgery to KO Seager for the season

PHOENIX — The Dodgers’ difficult April got a lot worse Monday with news that twotime All-Star shortstop and 2016 NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the operation will be performed Friday in Los Angeles to repair a right ulnar collateral ligament sprain. “It’s a big blow,” Roberts said. The 24-year-old infielder had been bothered by a sore elbow since the middle of last season but had tried to deal with the problem with rest and rehabilitation rather than surgery.

“We just feel for Corey,” Roberts said. “It’s something that he’s had to deal with for a couple of years. The elbow finally gave way, and I feel bad for him.”

Seager spoke to reporters in the dugout before the Dodgers played the Diamondbacks on Monday night. He said he felt pain and numbness after a couple of throws in the recently completed series against the Giants in San Francisco.

“I had a few bad throws over the weekend and got an MRI this morning and it was necessary to have surgery,” he said.

There was no doubt surgery was needed, Seager said, calling it “cut and dried.”

The new MRI, Seager said, showed the injury had gotten “much, much worse.”

He said he was at peace with the decision after dealing with the arm problem for so long.

“You always think if the day would come,” Seager said. “You always hope it doesn’t come. I’ve kind of accepted it now. It’s just nice to know it’s finished. It’s done with. No more decisions to be made.”

Seager was batting .267 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. He's a .302 career hitter.