Marcus Semien, 2B
Player Data: Age: 36 (9/17/1990) B/T: R/R
Primary Stats: 139 G, 547 PA, .215/.280/.340/.620, 106 H, 15 2B, 15 HR, 49 RBI, 55 R, 10 SB, 45 BB, 104 SO
Advanced Stats: 79 OPS+, 74 wRC+, 19.0% K%, 8.2% BB%, .239 BABIP, .300 xwOBA, -0.5 fWAR, 0.5 bWAR
2026 Salary: $26,000,000
Grade: D
2026 Review
When the Mets traded Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, it was clear the main goal was to get out from under the contract. Even a year later, seeing how much Brandon Nimmo has taken a step back, I think the Mets would still make this trade again. I don’t know if the Rangers would.
There was some hope and optimism for Marcus Semien in Queens. He was coming off a 2-3 WAR season depending on which metric you use, had just won a Gold Glove, and was roughly a league-average hitter the previous two years. He had a hot offensive second half in 2025 and as a heavy pull hitter, there were some expectations that he could utilize the dimensions of Citi Field to his advantage. In spring training, he even discussed trading contact for power to increase his offensive output.
None of these things happened. He put up the worst offensive and defensive season of his career. His exit velocities were worse in 2026 than 2025, with his 90% dropping by 1.4 miles per hour and his max dropping by 2.5 miles per hour. He did pull the ball in the air at a higher rate but the lower exit velocities wiped away any real benefit from that. He walked less, made less contact in the zone, and had a worse hard-hit rate.
It should be noted that he spent a good chunk of the season playing through a hip injury. Why he did not go on the injured list earlier is a mystery, as he struggled to a .606 OPS in June before going on the IL but he continued to play every day. He did look better when he returned from the injured list but we are still only talking about a .631 OPS. He also fell off again down the stretch in September. Even looking under the hood from the second half his metrics really do not look much better. He still did not hit the ball hard and the only positive was that he walked a little more.
Defensively, it really depends on what metric you use, but in none of them did he look close to the gold glove winner from 2025. By Statcast’s Fielding Run Value and Outs Above Average, Semien was one of the worst defenders in the sport. By Defensive Runs Saved, he was just slightly below average. By Fielding Bible’s Run Saved Above Average, Semien ranked as a slightly above-average defender.
No matter how you slice it, it was not enough. Semien was the best we could get back for Nimmo, and the trade had to be made, but you really wish you got more production back. He only needed a 90 WRC+ or 2.2 fWAR to be an improvement to what the Mets got out of second base in 2025, and he did not come close to that.
2027 Outlook
Exploring a trade of Semien shouldn’t be out of the question. Similar to what the Cardinals did with Nolan Arenado after his terrible 2025 season. If the Mets could not find a trade partner, cutting the veteran should also be explored.
Semien should be expected to be the starting second baseman next season, and if none of the young guys are ready the first few weeks we may see a platoon of him and Baty, with Semien facing mostly left-handed pitching. If Semien struggles, I would be shocked if he is still here come Memorial Day, similar to what the Mets did with Robinson Cano (or whatever the post-lockout comparable date is).
Is it possible that he could bounce back in 2027? Sure. Nolan Arenado bounced back and had an incredible season. Could one argue that with $46 million owed, it is worth seeing if his second season in New York, now with a coaching staff he knows, and ideally in a better lineup, there are improvements? Of course. But should it be considered likely? Probably not.
