RADIO
Ezequiel Duran Re-Emerging as a Must-Roster Fantasy Asset
Across 188 plate appearances so far in 2026, Texas Rangers utility man Ezequiel Duran is hitting .294/.348/.465 with four home runs, 32 RBI, 25 runs scored, and five stolen bases. The 27-year-old has drawn a walk in a career-best 8% of his plate appearances, and he's raised his hard-hit rate from 30.9% in 2025 to 40.6% in 2026. With Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) currently on the injured list, Duran has seen everyday playing time at short in recent weeks. While Seager should eventually return to the Rangers lineup, Duran can play basically anywhere on the field other than center field and catcher, which should allow him to maintain consistent playing time. Duran may not offer fantasy managers standout production in any one category. Still, his multi-position eligibility and lack of major weaknesses at the plate make him a useful player to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Corey Seager Starting Rehab Assignment on Tuesday
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment at Double-A Frisco on Tuesday, according to the team. He is scheduled to bat second and play shortstop for the Rough Riders on Tuesday. Seager is one step closer to returning from inflammation in his lower back that has kept him out since May 13. But if he doesn't have a setback with his back this week, he could be reinstated from the 10-day injured list later this week or the weekend. Ezequiel Duran has been filling in nicely at the 6 for the Rangers with Seager sidelined, and he'll go back to more of a super-utility role for the team once Seager is back on the active roster. Seager was hitting a disappointing .179 (28-for-156) to begin the 2026 season before injuring his back, but he also had seven home runs, 20 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a steal. Despite durability concerns in his early-30s, Seager is a must-roster fantasy SS. He's only available in 10% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Texas Rangers PR
Source: Texas Rangers PR
Corey Seager to Begin Rehab Assignment This Week
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment this week, according to manager Skip Schumaker. Seager was able to do some on-field work ahead of Sunday's game versus the Kansas City Royals. Barring any setbacks, Seager should be ready to begin playing in rehab games in the next few days. Seager has been sidelined since May 18 due to a lingering back issue. He could require a handful of games to shake off the rust before returning to the Rangers lineup. If everything goes well, Seager could be back in the big leagues by the end of next week. Fantasy managers should stay tuned for more updates on his status.
Source: Kennedi Landry
Source: Kennedi Landry
Corey Seager Faces Live BP and Fields Groundballs
Corey Seager (back) had a busy day on Saturday, facing live pitching and fielding ground balls as planned. Both Seager and manager Skip Schumaker were pleased with the results, as the 32-year-old shortstop appears to be making significant progress in his recovery. It remains unclear what the next steps will be. The 12-year veteran has been sidelined since May 13 with lower back inflammation and suffered a minor setback 10 days later. Given that setback, along with his extensive injury history, the Rangers may wait to see how his body responds to this demanding workout before determining the next phase of his recovery. Seager has struggled to begin the season, hitting .179 with seven home runs in his first 42 games.
Source: Kennedi Landry
Source: Kennedi Landry
Ezequiel Duran Back From Illness on Thursday
Texas Rangers infielder Ezequiel Duran (illness) is feeling better on Thursday and is back in the starting lineup for the series finale against the visiting Houston Astros, starting at shortstop and batting seventh against Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti, according to MLB.com. Duran was pulled from Wednesday's loss to the Astros due to an illness, but he's back in there the very next day. The 27-year-old Dominican utility man doesn't have much power or speed, but he can rack up counting stats for fantasy managers in a variety of roles in Texas like he has been of late. Duran has been serving as the team's primary shortstop with Corey Seager (back) on the injured list, and he'll enter play on Thursday evening with a .279/.333/.456 slash line with a .789 OPS, four home runs, 26 RBI, 22 runs scored, and four steals in 47 games across 163 plate appearances in his fifth year in Texas. He's most valuable in fantasy because he's eligible at first, second, third, shortstop, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues. Duran is hitless in just three career at-bats against Arrighetti.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ezequiel Duran Exits Early on Wednesday Due to Illness
Texas Rangers utility man Ezequiel Duran (illness) exited early from his team's game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday due to an illness, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Duran was hitless in two plate appearances before leaving the game. The 27-year-old has been a valuable stopgap piece for the Rangers so far this season, hitting .279/.333/.456 with four home runs, 26 RBI, 22 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 163 plate appearances. Duran is capable of lining up all over the field, but he's seen regular playing time at shortstop in recent weeks, with Rangers starting shortstop Corey Seager currently on the 10-day injured list due to a back injury. It does not seem as though Duran is in line for an extended absence. However, should he miss time, infielder/outfielder Michael Helman could be the next man up at shortstop for Texas.
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Corey Seager to Miss Another Week
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) isn't scheduled to be re-evaluated for "probably" another week, according to Shawn McFarland. Seager was slated to face live pitching on Sunday, but that session was delayed due to his lack of progress in his recovery from his back injury. The Rangers were hopeful that Seager could return for the upcoming homestand that begins on Monday. That isn't going to happen, so fantasy managers are likely going to be without Seager for at least another week. The organization should continue to give updates on his status. The left-handed slugger hasn't suited up for a game since May 13 due to a back injury. Ezequiel Duran should continue to fill in until Seager is ready to play again.
Source: Shawn McFarland
Source: Shawn McFarland
Corey Seager's Live Batting Practice Session Delayed
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) was scheduled to face live pitching on Sunday. That session has been postponed due to Seager not quite being where he needed to be in his recovery process. The Rangers are still figuring out the next steps for Seager, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him back when first eligible. The organization was hopeful that Seager could be back for the upcoming homestand, but that seems doubtful to happen now. Fantasy managers should check back for another update on Seager in the coming days. Ezequiel Duran should continue seeing more at-bats while Seager is sidelined.
Source: Shawn McFarland
Source: Shawn McFarland
Corey Seager Hoping to Return for Next Homestand
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) did some jogging at Angels Stadium and also did some stuff in the weight room before the game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night, according to Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. Seager said it's "definitely the goal" to return for the next homestand, but he needs to see how his back responds to some workouts before he can do full baseball activities. Texas' next homestand begins on Monday against the Houston Astros and runs through Sunday, May 31, versus the Kansas City Royals. The 32-year-old veteran is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Monday, but it might take him a bit longer than that. Ezequiel Duran has been filling in at shortstop for the Rangers with Seager out. Although durability is a major concern at this point in his career, Seager is still rostered in over 90% of Yahoo leagues, even though he's hurt and is currently hitting just .179 (28-for-156) with seven home runs, 20 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a stolen base through his first 42 games in 2026.
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
Corey Seager Going on Injured List With Back Injury
Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young said on Monday on 105.3 The Fan that shortstop Corey Seager (back) is going on the injured list, according to Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. "He's just too valuable and important to the rest of our season," Young said. "Our anticipation is this will give him the chance to reset mentally." The Rangers must not have liked what they saw after the 32-year-old veteran visited with a back specialist back in Arlington on Monday. With Seager battling a back injury over the weekend, Ezequiel Duran received two straight starts at the 6 and should remain there for Monday's series opener in Denver against the Colorado Rockies. The Rangers and fantasy managers are hoping that some time off for Seager will help him get right at the plate when he returns from the IL, as he has hit a lowly .179/.286/.353 with a .638 OPS, seven home runs, 20 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a steal in his 156 at-bats. The five-time All-Star hit 30-plus homers from 2022 to 2024, but he was also plagued by injuries last year and is more of an injury risk than ever.
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
Corey Seager Heading to See Back Specialist
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) was absent from the starting lineup for the third straight game on Sunday. The team is still calling the injury minor, but Seager did undergo an MRI over the weekend. Seager is now heading back to Arlington to see a back specialist about his injury. With that being said, Seager won't be available for the first game of the series in Colorado, starting on Monday. Ezequiel Duran has made multiple starts at shortstop and figures to continue holding down the fort until Seager is ready to return. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on Seager, but he'll likely still miss a few more games.
Source: Jeff Wilson
Source: Jeff Wilson
Corey Seager Sent for MRI on Injured Back
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) will undergo an MRI on his back, per Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Seager has not played since Wednesday as he deals with back spasms. While the 32-year-old has not yet been placed on the injured list, it appears the team has at least some level of concern that there could be a structural issue in Seager's back. Prior to the injury being announced, Seager was in the midst of a brutal 0-for-29 stretch at the plate. His overall numbers for the season are way down as well, as he's hitting .179/.286/.353 with seven home runs, 20 RBI, 22 runs scored, and one stolen base across 182 plate appearances. Seager has never had a strikeout rate above 21.4% in any of his 11 MLB seasons, but he's struck out in 27.5% of his trips to the plate so far in 2026. Rangers utility man Ezequiel Duran is making his third straight start at shortstop in Seager's place on Sunday against the Houston Astros.
Source: DLLS Sports - Jeff Wilson
Source: DLLS Sports - Jeff Wilson
Corey Seager Absent With Back Spasms on Saturday
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Houston Astros due to back spasms. Seager was held out of Friday's contest as well, but that was presumed to be a rest day in the midst of a 0-for-27 skid at the plate. It's unclear if the issue occurred on Friday or began to bother Seager on Saturday. The team is calling Seager day-to-day with back spasms. It doesn't sound like something that is going to keep him sidelined for too long. Ezequiel Duran will cover shortstop and bat fifth versus right-hander Kai-Wei Teng on Saturday. Fantasy managers should check back for another update on Seager's status on Sunday.
Source: Kennedi Landry
Source: Kennedi Landry
Corey Seager in the Lineup Every Day Despite Disastrous Stats
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager continues to play on an everyday basis, mostly due to his reliable defense and his track record as a proven veteran. However, the temptation to make a shortstop change may be growing in Texas, as Seager is slashing just .189/.299/.372 with -3.1 WAR at the plate. It's the first time he has posted negative WAR on either side of the ball since 2018, and the first time he's ever posted negative WAR at the plate. His seven home runs have helped keep his wRC+ afloat at 88, but it's still not very encouraging. He had an .860 OPS last year, so to see that mark fall nearly 200 percentage points doesn't bode well for his fantasy value. As one might expect based on the poor stats, he's also striking out far more than normal. His 27% strikeout rate this year drastically exceeds his previous career-worst mark of 21.4% back in 2017. The power makes Seager a fine fantasy option every now and then, and he's been able to hang around as the #7 shortstop in RotoBaller's latest fantasy rankings. However, we don't blame fantasy managers (or the Rangers) if they start to lose patience with the 32-year-old soon.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
