The Texas Rangers have taken one of the top free agents off of the board as they have come to terms with veteran shortstop Marcus Semien in a deal that has been reported worth seven years, $175 million.
As reported by FanSided’s Robert Murray, the Rangers have made the first big splash this offseason in signing Semien to a long-term deal. At age 31, Semien is still in the prime of his career, and it showed this past season with the Toronto Blue Jays. Hitting .265, with 45 home runs and 102 RBIs, Semien continues to bet on himself, and it has worked. Not to mention, his defense is still spectacular for his age.
This season, Semien moved over from his traditional shortstop position and played second base, but that did not seem to phase him. A finalist for the MVP, Gold Glove winner, and a Silver Slugger winner at second base, Semien is ranked seventh in Defensive WAR with a 1.8 and ranked first in WAR amongst Position Players with a 7.3. Semien also led the league with the most plate appearances, with 724.
In a shortstop market led by Carlos Correa and Trevor Story, the Rangers landed a great addition to their lineup while filling the void at shortstop. The Rangers are still a few pieces away from contending in the AL West, but they are headed in the right direction.
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