The New York Mets and Texas Rangers reportedly pulled off the biggest trade of the offseason so far on Sunday night.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news on Sunday by reporting that the Mets are acquiring three-time All-Star Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo.
“Breaking: The New York Mets and Texas Rangers are finalizing a trade that would send second baseman Marcus Semien to the Mets and outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, sources tell ESPN,” Passan wrote on X.
Afterward, key details began to emerge about the trade itself.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets are sending $5 million to the Rangers to help offset the cost of Nimmo’s remaining contract.
“Mets are sending ($5 million) to Texas to slightly offset the dollar difference,” Heyman wrote.
Nimmo had a full no-trade clause and Semien had a partial no-trade clause. USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported that the Mets and New York Yankees were not on Semien’s no-trade clause.
“Brandon Nimmo had a full no-trade clause that he waived,” Nightengale wrote. “Marcus Semien had a limited no-trade clause and the Mets and Yankees were not on it. Semien will get a tax hit and Nimmo will get big tax break with the trade.”
Andy Martino of SNY reported that improving the team’s overall defense played a role in getting the deal done.
“The Mets, of course, looking to get better in their defense,” Martino said in a video shared to X by SNY. “This is a move in that direction in that two positions that this trade can impact. Now, Semien is an elite defensive second baseman. Nimmo, not an elite defensive corner outfielder. So, what this does is give the Mets a chance to improve their outfield defense. They could do that in free agency if a Cody Bellinger, say, breaks to them.”
The Major League Baseball hot stove is officially on.
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