It’s hard to believe that Corey Seager and Marcus Semien are in their fourth season together with the Texas Rangers.
Feels like a year or two at the most have passed since the two shocked Major League Baseball and signed with the Rangers on the same day, late in 2021 – Seager, the shortstop, to a 10-year, $325 million deal; Semien, the second baseman, to a seven-year, $175 million deal.
The goal, of course, was to win the first World Series title in franchise history. And it took only two seasons, as the Rangers captured the 2023 title in five games against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
But the contracts, no matter how lengthy, must continue to be paid, and there are already concerns that the Rangers aren’t getting their money’s worth.
For Seager, who turned 31 at the end of April, the decline has been relatively minor since he finished second in the American League MVP voting in 2023. After slashing .327/.390/.623 with 33 home runs and 96 RBIs and posting a 1.013 OPS that year, Seager still finished with a .865 OPS in 2024, matching his career average.
This season, Seager is slashing .244/.333/.394, with a .727 OPS. However, under contract through 2031 at $31.5 million annually, Seager will not be leaving Texas anytime soon.
In Semien’s case, a trade seems just a bit more plausible.
MLB Analyst Believes Marcus Semien Would Fit With New York Mets
Semien, who turns 35 in mid-September, came in third place in the 2023 AL MVP voting, after slashing .276/.348/.478 with 29 home runs and 100 RBIs. His numbers dropped to .237/.308/.391 with a .699 OPS in 2024, and he is slashing just .226/.307/.335 with a .642 OPS this season.
But Semien is under contract for just three more seasons, costing $26 million for the next two, then $20 million in 2028, and he does not have a no-trade clause. Depending on how much money the Rangers are willing to include, they probably would not have to look too far to find a contender interested in a veteran second baseman with championship experience.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report has what he believes is the “dream landing spot” for Semien.
In a Wednesday article, Rymer cites the recent Rafael Devers trade to opine about other higher-priced veterans who could possibly benefit from a change of scenery. For Semien, Rymer suggests a move to the New York Mets.
“The Mets may have the best record in the National League, but their lineup isn’t without its soft spots,” Rymer wrote.
“Jeff McNeil has done his best to keep second base from being one of them, but nobody really expects him to sustain his .520 slugging percentage. And besides, his best role is as a rover who could also play the outfield and third base as needed.
“A trade for Semien would allow McNeil to fill such a role, and he’d be an upgrade at second if for no other reason than his double play partnership with Francisco Lindor. Since 2023, they are both top-10 infielders by Outs Above Average.”
Marcus Semien Could Bring Championship Experience to a Contending Team
Of course, Texas will need to decide how it plans to approach the upcoming trade deadline. Entering Thursday’s game with the potential of getting swept by Kansas City, the Rangers were 36-38, with several teams between them and both the division title and a wild card spot. Trading Semien would be a surprise, but a potentially wise move to free up salary and create room for top prospect Sebastian Walcott.
In exchange, the Mets could offer a package that starts with Brett Baty, who is still pre-arbitration and could fill innings while Walcott finishes out this season at Double-A. New York also boasts a deep pool of prospects, and the Mets could include Jacob Reimer or Nate Dohm if Texas offers little-to-no money for covering Semien’s contract, or perhaps one from the prospect pitcher trio of Brandon Sproat, Jonah Tong or Nolan McLean, if enough of Semien’s costs are covered. Texas could also add a low-cost, pending free agent reliever like Shawn Armstrong or Chris Martin to sweeten the deal.
For a Mets team fighting off the Phillies for first place in the NL East, it could be a difference maker.
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