In the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 5 of the 2023 World Series, Marcus Semien hit a home run that essentially clinched the Texas Rangers’ first World Series title.
Now it’s a memory. A beautiful one, but a memory and not one that wins Semien enough favor to stay in Texas any longer.
Sunday’s reported trade between the Texas Rangers and the New York Mets represented the latest turning of the page of the World Series team. After non-tendering three stars from that team — Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim and Josh Sborz — dealing Semien is a true end of the era that built up to that title. The proposed deal was confirmed by local media, including MLB.com, but had not been officially announced by either team as of Monday morning.
“Texas needed offense, the Mets needed defense and thus, this trade was made.”@JonHeyman breaks down the reported deal sending Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien. pic.twitter.com/opVQk0AxNJ
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 24, 2025
He signed a seven-year deal before the 2022 season, the same offseason that shortstop Corey Seager signed a 10-year deal. Those two contracts were the cornerstones to that build-up to a title. Now, Semien is heading out the door. In his place will come outfielder Brandon Nimmo.
Why Trade Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo?
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said in October the franchise’s stated goal is to get younger and less expensive. This trade accomplishes both goals, but not in a substantial way.
Semien just turned 35 and he will be 38 when his contract expires. He is a Gold Glove defender — he just won the second of his career earlier this month — and a three-time All-Star. But, for the past two seasons he’s been a notoriously slow starter at the plate, and his numbers have dropped precipitously since he was third in American League MVP voting in 2023.
That season he slashed .276/.348/.478 with an .826 OPS, 29 home runs and 100 RBI. Only his All-Star season in Toronto in 2021 was better as he hit 45 home runs and drove in 102 runs.
In the past two seasons he’s slashed a combined .234/.307/.379 with 38 home runs and 136 RBI. His OPS dropped to .699 in 2024 to .669 in 2025, the latter his worst in a full season. The Rangers are likely betting that his skills at the plate are eroding and that now is the time to get away from the final three years of his deal, which are worth $72 million.
Nimmo brings the Rangers a younger player, but only slightly so. He’ll be 33 years old next season and has five more years left on his contract worth $102 million. Nimmo reportedly approved the deal, as he had a no-trade clause. The Rangers will save about $4 million per year in average annual value between Semien ($24 million) and Nimmo ($20.4 million), though they’ll be tied to Nimmo through 2030. The Mets are also sending the Rangers $5 million, per the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.
The left-handed hitter has had a powerful bat for the past several years. He’s hit at least 23 home runs and at least 30 doubles in each of the last three seasons. In his last four seasons he’s averaged a slash of .259/.346/.434 with 88 home runs and 314 RBI.
It’s probably not a coincidence the trade is happening just a couple of days after non-tendering Garcia. Nimmo brings power to the lineup, but he’s primarily been a left fielder. He can replicate Garcia’s power, and his left-handed swing is a good fit for Globe Life Park’s configuration. The only question is where he plays? Do the Rangers slide Wyatt Langford to center to make room for Nimmo or have Nimmo take over in right, where he’s only played 93 career MLB games?
Nimmo is not Garcia’s equal defensively, but few outfielders are in the Majors. The Rangers are making the move to bring in an outfielder with a track record of hitting for power that, theoretically, fits the ballpark. Â
In dealing Semien, the Rangers opened a spot in the starting lineup, one that will see serious competition as Josh Smith, Cody Freeman and Ezequiel Duran should all get opportunities to take the starting job. Smith is certainly Semien’s equal defensively. Freeman may have Semien’s power projection. Duran seems to thrive with regular playing time at one position.
Given how the Rangers want to build the team in 2026 and beyond, dealing Semien makes sense. Being able to do it straight up is a bonus. But it’s a stark reminder that the vibes of a World Series title only last for so long. Semien’s role in a world championship will always be remembered. But ending his time in Texas was necessary based on the past two seasons. Â
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