The Texas Rangers officially split up their championship-winning middle infield on Sunday, trading All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien to the New York Mets for Brandon Nimmo.
The move is considered a good one for the Rangers, as Nimmo is younger, better offensively, and cheaper in terms of yearly salary. He gives Texas a much-needed power bat along with some payroll flexibility.
However, how does the move affect Semien’s former double play partner, Corey Seager? The Rangers have reportedly been open to moving Seager — who’s been linked to the New York Yankees — this offseason, but is that still a possibility now that Semien is gone?
Does Semien Trade Make Seager More Likely To Stay With Rangers?
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According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, trading Seager is still an option for Texas, albeit a less likely one in the aftermath of the Semien trade.
“I think that’s still a possibility, but there’s less urgency for them to do it because they’ve already lessened the amount of money they’re spending on a per-year basis,” Morosi said on Monday. “I still think the overwhelming likelihood is that Corey Seager remains a member of the Rangers on Opening Day, especially if they can find a way to upgrade their starting rotation in free agency without having to spend a ton of money that would increase the overall squeeze on them from a financial perspective.”
“I still think the overwhelming likelihood is that Corey Seager remains a member of the Rangers on Opening Day.”
– @jonmorosi via #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/5O9ROa2HdF
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 24, 2025
Seager, 31, still has six years remaining on his contract at $31.5 million per year. Swapping Semien for Nimmo will save Texas $5.5 million next season, giving them a bit of money to play with. The Rangers also saved around $20 million by non-tendering Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim, Josh Sborz and Jacob Webb last week.
While Seager is expensive, he’s still the Rangers’ best player and an MVP candidate when healthy. They could still look to trade him in the future, but there’s now less of a need to do so this offseason, making it more likely that he returns next season.
Will Texas Pursue Starting Pitcher?
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Morosi thinks the Rangers could use some of their savings from the Semien trade and other recent roster moves to go after an impact starting pitcher in free agency.
Morosi named several good fits for Texas, including Ranger Suarez, Lucas Giolito and Zac Gallen.
“I think it enhances the potential of signing one of those names, because you’ve now reduced Garcia, you’ve reduced Jonah Heim’s money from the books,” Morosi said.
Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said the team’s budget for 2026 hasn’t been finalized but he envisions spending enough to have a roster that is competitive in 2026.
By saving money on their position players, the Rangers now have more funds to allocate to their pitching staff if they want.
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