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Seager injury is huge blow to Dodgers' World Series hopes

Rich Schultz / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Los Angeles Dodgers' hopes of reaching the World Series for the first time since 1988 took a serious hit Saturday when it was announced that Corey Seager was left off the NLCS roster due to a lingering back injury.

Seager was one of the key cogs in the Dodgers offense and was relied on heavily throughout the regular season. Los Angeles went 93-42 in games in which the All-Star shortstop started in, and 11-16 in games he didn't.

With Seager potentially out for the entirety of the NLCS, the Dodgers lost a significant piece need in beating the Cubs, and here's why:

Lefty, and Cub masher

Despite hitting from the left side of the plate, Seager mashes left-handed pitching. He slashed .325/.389/.527 with eight home runs and 43 strikeouts in 190 plate appearances this season.

Seager's absence in the lineup will be felt immediately in Game 1 Saturday when the Cubs send southpaw Jose Quintana to the mound. If the series goes the distance, the Dodgers could see Quintana, and fellow lefty starter Jon Lester a combined four times.

Seager has never faced Lester or Quintana, but he did hit .292/.356/.375 with two doubles in six games against the Cubs this year.

Upsets the lineup balance

Manager Dave Roberts was able to stagger his left- and right-handed hitters at the top of the order by alternating Chris Taylor, Seager, Justin Turner, and Cody Bellinger, creating a perfect balance. Those four combined to go 15-for-51 (.294) with two home runs in three games during the division series.

Roberts had Seager hit second in the order in all 135 of his starts this season. When Seager went down to injuries, Curtis Granderson, Kike Hernandez, Taylor, Joc Pederson, and Bellinger filled in. Those five received at least 10 at-bats hitting second, but combined to go 11-for-88 (.125).

Should Roberts wish to keep his lineup built similarly with a lefty hitting second behind Taylor, he'll likely be forced to move Granderson up in the order, rather than turn to Pederson, who was left off the NLDS roster.

Limited replacements

Charlie Culberson and Pederson were added to the NLCS roster, though both players have hardly had inspiring offensive seasons. Culberson hit .154/.267/.231 with one extra-base in 15 games and won't likely draw a start, while Pederson regressed significantly, slashing .212/.331/.407 with 11 homers and 68 strikeouts in 102 games.

Adding Pederson to the roster allows Roberts the luxury of moving Taylor to shortstop and Pederson into center. Enrique Hernandez or Logan Forsythe could also shift over to shortstop, should Roberts choose, though none of the replacements can replicate the production they'll lose from Seager's absence.

More pressure on Bellinger

Bellinger got off to a slow start this postseason, but did look more like himself in the final game of the NLDS when he hit his first career playoff home run.

The likely NL Rookie of the Year paced the Dodger offense with 39 homers during the regular season, and he'll be relied upon heavily to lead the offense in Seager's absence. Without the threat of Seager's bat in the lineup though, expect Bellinger to get even less to hit.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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