Fair or not, Marcus Semien will be compared to Brandon Nimmo as long as he’s a Met. That’s just what happens when you get traded straight up for another player, let alone a homegrown fan favorite, no matter what roster or payroll flexibility scheme it may be a part of.

Two-plus months into the 2026 season, neither veteran is really blowing the socks off their new fan bases. For those keeping score, Semien is slashing .226/.277/.362 with eight homers, 25 RBIs and a 0.0 fWAR as the Mets’ everyday second baseman. Meanwhile, Nimmo, who got off to a blazing start, is hitting .249/.330/.398 with seven homers, 22 RBIs and a 1.0 fWAR while patrolling right field in Texas.

Overall, advantage Nimmo.

But Semien has stepped up at the plate lately, a key part of the Mets’ recent mini-surge to the periphery of the Wild Card race. After blasting solo homers in each of the last two games in San Diego, the second baseman has hit four homers, six RBIs and scored seven runs over the last nine games. In that span, during which the Mets won six of nine, he tallied multiple hits in four games. His season wRC+ jumped from 66 to 82.

Since May 29, Semien owns a .278/.350/.639 line with a 150wRC+, a far cry from where he was at the beginning of the season. While he went only 5-for-24 on the road trip, his key hits helped the Mets win.

While his overall stats are subpar, Semien continues to be one of the Mets’ most clutch hitters. His go-ahead homer in the seventh inning of Sunday’s win was another indication of that. Semien has excelled with runners in scoring position this year, to the tune of an .806 OPS, 18 hits and 14 RBIs over 52 at-bats. As a whole, the Mets have a putrid .682 OPS in those situations, fifth-worst in the league.

Met fans will continue to compare Semien and Nimmo for as long as the two keep playing in New York and Texas. However, if Semien continues his recent stretch of play, he will be more than just the glove that many saw him as when the Mets acquired him.