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March 18 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager is still working his way back following major elbow surgery that forced him to miss most of 2018, but it sounds like he will be ready for opening day. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday morning that Seager will "absolutely" be ready to play in the teams season opener March 28 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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"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," Roberts said.
Seager has not been able to play this spring in an official game, but played against minor league players Thursday for the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch and Saturday five innings in a minor league game.
He is scheduled to play seven innings today and could appear later in the week in an official Cactus League game.
If he is healthy after that, he will travel with the Dodgers and play in all three of the team's exhibition games against the Los Angeles Angels and then the opener against the Diamondbacks.
Seager had elbow-ligament replacement and hip surgeries last April, and appeared in just 26 games last season for the Dodgers, hitting .267 with two homers and 13 runs batted in before suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament that required Tommy John surgery.
The 24-year-old was an All-Star with Los Angeles in 2016 and 2017, hitting .308 with 26 homers and 72 RBI in 2016, and in 2017, he hit .295 with 22 home runs and 77 runs batted in.
