The New York Mets have acquired Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers in a trade involving outfielder Brandon Nimmo and cash considerations. The transaction, revealed on Monday, marks the end of Nimmo’s decade-long tenure with the Mets. An undisclosed source informed The Associated Press that Nimmo agreed to forego his no-trade clause in the eight-year, $162 million deal he inked as a free agent after the 2022 season.
Nimmo, a left-handed hitter aged 32, is set to earn $20.25 million annually until 2030. Additionally, he will receive a $1 million bonus from the Mets for waiving his no-trade clause. As part of the deal, the Mets will transfer $5 million to the Rangers by September 18.
Semien, who previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, has three years and $72 million remaining on his seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers, signed in December 2021. The Rangers also secured World Series MVP shortstop Corey Seager on a 10-year, $325 million deal during the same free agency period.
The formidable middle infield duo of Semien and Seager contributed to the Rangers’ World Series victory in 2023. However, this triumph marked the only winning season in the past nine years for the team, which achieved a .500 record for the first time in franchise history this year, finishing at 81-81.
Noteworthy players like Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim, and Josh Sborz, who played significant roles in the Rangers’ championship run, became free agents after the team chose not to offer them contracts for the 2026 season.
Despite missing the final portion of the season due to injury, the 35-year-old Semien secured his second Gold Glove award. His absence was a rarity, as he had only been on the injured list twice in his 13-year MLB career. Before his injury, Semien had an impressive track record, missing just six games out of 615 since joining the Rangers in 2022. Throughout the season, he maintained a batting average of .230 with 15 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 62 runs in 127 games. In his four seasons with the Rangers, Semien boasted a .249 batting average with 93 home runs and 319 RBIs.
Having played for various teams including the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, and Texas Rangers, Semien, a three-time All-Star, holds a career batting average of .253 with 253 home runs and 801 RBIs. Notably, he achieved personal bests of 45 home runs and 102 RBIs during his single season with the Blue Jays before transitioning to the Rangers.
Nimmo, initially drafted by the Mets in 2011, has demonstrated a solid .364 career on-base percentage, with a significant number of starts as a leadoff hitter. He consistently scored at least 81 runs over the past three seasons, with a peak of 102 runs in 2022. In the most recent season, Nimmo primarily batted in the middle order and maintained his career average of .262, hitting 25 home runs and securing 92 RBIs in 155 games. Across his 1,066 games, Nimmo has accumulated 135 home runs and 463 RBIs.
In a separate managerial announcement, the Colorado Rockies have appointed Warren Schaeffer as the full-time manager. Schaeffer took over the interim managerial position following the dismissal of Bud Black in May, after a challenging 7-33 start to the season. The Rockies concluded the season with a record of 43-119, landing them in last place in the NL West. Schaeffer, aged 40, becomes the eighth full-time manager in the club’s history, having been part of the Rockies organization for over ten years. The decision was supported by Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, who expressed confidence in Schaeffer’s ability to lead the team effectively based on his player relationships, understanding of the franchise culture, and strong work ethic.
