Marcus Semien’s Texas Tenure Ends, Marking the Close of a Pivotal Chapter for the Rangers
When Marcus Semien was traded to the New York Mets this offseason, it didn’t just mark the end of a roster move-it signaled the closing of a key chapter in the Texas Rangers’ recent history. Not necessarily the end of an era, but certainly the final page in a story that helped redefine this franchise.
To understand the weight of Semien’s departure, you have to rewind the clock 51 months. The Rangers were coming off a brutal 2021 campaign, their first 100-loss season since the early Arlington days.
The front office had finally embraced a full rebuild, and the moves reflected that. Joey Gallo was sent to the Yankees after turning down an extension.
Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy were shipped to Philadelphia. The outlook?
Bleak.
Then came the pivot.
At that year’s end-of-season press conference, Jon Daniels and Chris Young told fans the rebuild was over. The Rangers were ready to spend.
Big. The 2021-22 free agent class was stacked-especially at shortstop-and Texas made it clear they weren’t just window shopping.
Skeptics were quick to laugh it off. After all, this was the same front office that had come up short in the Anthony Rendon sweepstakes just a couple years earlier. Why would this time be any different?
Then came November 28, 2021.
News broke that the Rangers were signing Marcus Semien to a 7-year, $175 million deal. One of the premier infielders on the market, Semien was fresh off two top-three MVP finishes in a three-year span. This wasn’t just a splash-it was a cannonball into the deep end of free agency.
And the Rangers weren’t done.
The very next day, they landed Corey Seager on a 10-year, $325 million deal. Add Jon Gray into the mix on a four-year contract, and in the span of 48 hours, a 102-loss team committed over half a billion dollars to reshape its future. The timing couldn’t have been more dramatic-just before the owners locked out the players, casting a cloud over what should’ve been a celebration.
Seager ended up being the crown jewel, and his role in the Rangers’ 2023 World Series title-the first in franchise history-cements him as one of the best signings in team history. But it all started with Semien.
He was the first big domino to fall. The first signal that Texas wasn’t rebuilding anymore-they were ready to win.
Now, Semien heads to Queens with three years left on his deal, swapped for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Jon Gray is also gone, now a free agent with his future uncertain due to health concerns. Seager remains, still anchoring the infield, but the roster-and the vibe-has shifted.
As for Semien’s final season in Arlington? It was a mixed bag.
Defensively, he was elite-earning a Gold Glove and playing a big role in the Rangers’ team-wide defensive excellence. Offensively, though, it was a struggle.
He posted a 97 OPS+ and an 89 wRC+, both below league average. His slash line of .230/.305/.364 tells the story of a player who couldn’t quite get it going at the plate.
The home/road splits were stark. At Globe Life Field, Semien hit just .217/.303/.314.
On the road, he was noticeably better: .242/.308/.410. It’s worth noting that he missed the final six weeks of the season-an important detail, given his career-long trend of heating up as the year goes on.
In fact, September has historically been his best month, with an .815 OPS and 65 career home runs-both career highs for any month.
So there’s a case to be made that his numbers might’ve looked better had he stayed healthy. But even with that caveat, the underlying metrics weren’t kind.
Semien’s offensive profile-lots of fly balls, especially to the pull side, but without elite exit velocity-wasn’t a great match for Globe Life Field in 2025. According to Statcast, his hard-hit rate sat in the 17th percentile, right around his career average, but not enough to overcome the ballpark’s pitcher-friendly tendencies.
That’s how you end up with a .251 BABIP-fourth-lowest among qualified hitters in 2025. Only Eugenio Suárez, Josh Bell, and Cal Raleigh fared worse, with Salvador Perez tied at the same mark.
The lack of carry on fly balls also hurt his power output. Semien managed just 16 doubles-the lowest total in any full season of his career-and his .134 ISO was the second lowest he’s ever posted.
Still, even in a down year at the plate, Semien remained a valuable player. In 127 games, he produced 2.1 fWAR and 3.3 bWAR-solid numbers for a 35-year-old second baseman entering the decline phase of his career. He may not be the MVP candidate he once was, but he’s still a guy who can help you win games.
Now, he’ll try to do that in New York.
The Rangers, meanwhile, continue to evolve. Semien’s exit doesn’t erase what he meant to the team-he was the first big swing that helped Texas climb out of the cellar and into the World Series spotlight. His professionalism, durability, and leadership were constants during a period of massive change.
And while his departure marks the end of that chapter, it’s clear that Marcus Semien’s impact on the Rangers will be felt for years to come.