Marcus Semien signs seven-year deal with Rangers, per report

The Texas Rangers and star infielder Marcus Semien have agreed to a seven-year extension that runs through the 2028 season, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. In terms of earnings, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman notes that Semien will fetch roughly $175 million when all is said and done.

Semien, 31, was phenomenal in 2021 with the Blue Jays, slashing .265/.334/.538 with a .331 xWOBA, 45 home runs, 102 RBI, 66 walks, 146 strikeouts, and 16 stolen bases. He also offered tremendous value defensively as evidenced by his seven outs above average at second base.

The All-Star formed a fantastic right side of the infield with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. while playing on a one-year deal in Toronto. He finished the year with 31.5 oWAR and 10.0 dWAR, giving him a total of 6.6 fWAR (second-highest mark of his career).

A talented pull hitter, there is some concern about Semien’s ability to produce home runs at the Rangers’ Globe Life Field. His expected home runs by park in 2021, which takes into account how many of Semien’s home runs would have exited specific stadiums, was 32 in Arlington. Though not a bad number by any means, this was his third-lowest total among all MLB parks.

Semien made 147 appearances at second base and 21 at shortstop this past season. The Rangers’ current shortstop is Isiah Kiner-Falefa, but it seems likely that Semien takes over at shortstop and bumps Kiner-Falefa to second base.

It’s also very possible that this is not the last deal of the offseason for the Rangers, who were in the market for big names last offseason but ultimately stayed quiet. Semien could be the first of many dominoes to fall both throughout MLB and in Texas. A report from earlier this month suggested that the Rangers are willing to hand out more than $100 million in 2022 salary to new additions.