Rangers trade Semien to Mets for Nimmo
The Texas Rangers traded second baseman Marcus Semien to the New York Mets for outfielder Brandon Nimmo, the teams announced Monday.
The Mets are also sending $5 million to the Rangers, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
No other players are involved in the deal, which Nimmo approved by waiving his no-trade clause.
"This was not easy," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday. "Everyone thinks highly of Brandon, but to be a championship-caliber team, you need to make tough decisions.”
Semien slashed .230/.305/.364 with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs during a down year at the dish last season. Prior to 2025, the three-time All-Star had been the most productive second baseman in baseball after switching to the position in 2021.
Semien stats from 2021-24
| PA | HR | RBI | SB | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2919 | 123 | 359 | 62 | .459 |
With 54 defensive runs saved since 2021, Semien should boost a Mets team that ranked 17th in fielding percentage at second last season. Stearns identified Semien's defense as one of the main reasons they acquired him. He also said the trade provides the Mets with better positional flexibility.
David Stearns said the Brandon Nimmo deal allows the Mets flexibility in the near-term and long-term, and opens slots for young, talented outfielders who are deserving.
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) November 24, 2025
Semien has $72 million remaining on the final three years of his contract.
Nimmo posted a .760 OPS with 25 homers and a career-high 92 RBIs last campaign. The 32-year-old has spent every game of his career with the Mets after they drafted him with the 13th overall pick in 2011.
Stearns said trading the popular Nimmo was "not easy" but represented "a recognition that what we did last year wasn't good enough, and running back the exact same group wasn't the right thing to do."
Nimmo, who owns a lifetime .364 on-base percentage and .802 OPS (124 OPS+), provides the Rangers with another left-handed bat to balance their lineup under first-year manager Skip Schumaker.
Rangers' projected lineup in 2026
| ORDER | POSITION | PLAYER | BATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LF | Brandon Nimmo | Left |
| 2 | RF | Wyatt Langford | Right |
| 3 | SS | Corey Seager | Left |
| 4 | DH | Joc Pederson | Left |
| 5 | 1B | Jake Burger | Right |
| 6 | CF | Evan Carter | Left |
| 7 | 3B | Josh Jung | Right |
| 8 | 2B | Josh Smith | Left |
| 9 | C | Kyle Highasioka | Right |
Nimmo has five years and $102.5 million left on his contract.
The trade comes two days after the Rangers non-tendered four players, including 2023 ALCS MVP Adolis García and catcher Jonah Heim.
Both the Rangers and Mets missed the postseason in 2025.