The first shocking trade of the baseball offseason is reportedly in the works, as reported The Texas Rangers are set to acquire outfielder Brandon Nimmo from the New York Mets in exchange for second baseman Marcus Semien. A one-for-one swap of two massive contracts is rare in MLB, but this deal appears to be the product of two franchises coming off dismally disappointing campaigns looking to radically reimagine their rosters in hopes of better results in 2026.
And before heading into free agency to address their needs, the Rangers and Mets opted to trade these two high-profile hitters in a trade that few could have predicted a few months ago.
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Just days after losing more than $20 million in salary commitments planned for 2026 by four players eligible for arbitration without submission — including two key players in starting position in right fielder Adolis García and receiver Jonah Heim – this trade will also help reduce Texas’ payroll in the short term, with Nimmo set to earn $20.5 million in 2026, compared to the $26 million owed to Semien. But with Nimmo under contract for two more years, Texas is taking on a more guaranteed salary overall, with Nimmo owed a total of $102.5 million over the next five seasons, while Semien’s obligations total $72 million over the next three. The Mets would have sent Another $5 million to Texas to help make up the difference.
Why did the Rangers add Brandon Nimmo?
The purpose of these cost-cutting measures for Texas remains to be determined. There is still almost a full offseason ahead of us that will help clarify whether the priority is strictly to reduce payroll no matter what, or whether these are just the first deals intended to radically reshape a roster that has proven stale and inadequate since its World Series triumph in 2023. It’s up to the Rangers to show their fans that this is the case, and if so, it will be fascinating to see if the front office can reallocate those resources in a way that reposition. the list for the playoffs as soon as possible.
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(Get more Rangers news: Texas team feed)
From a roster standpoint, Nimmo, who turns 33 right after Opening Day next year, effectively replaces García in the outfield. He’s a notable upgrade offensively as a balanced left-handed hitter with strong on-base ability but a downgrade with the glove. It’s worth noting that Nimmo has barely played right field over the last half-decade, but is also considered well below average in center field, so it will be interesting to see which outfield alignment Texas prefers with Nimmo reportedly in the fold. Ascending star Wyatt Langford, meanwhile, has only played left and center field in the majors, so perhaps he’ll get the green light to grab the day-to-day center field job. Or Langford can slide to the right and Evan Carter can handle center. Josh Smith, a valuable utility man who has bounced all around the diamond, projects as Semien’s most likely replacement at second base as things stand, but there’s plenty of winter left for Texas to approach that spot another way if he wants.
Why did the Mets add Marcus Semien?
For the Mets and their ultra-rich owner Steve Cohen, who has shown no hesitation in pushing their payroll to stratospheric levels, the exact details of the trade’s finances are far less important than what they do for the roster, and how it can help the Mets get back on track toward the championship Cohen desperately seeks.
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In Semien, the Mets have an elite defender at second base, who should pair brilliantly up the middle with shortstop Francisco Lindor. If global defense modernization is a priority for New York as has been reportedadding Semien is a good start. But the return of Pete Alonso and the external additions or internal prospects who replace Nimmo in the outfield will significantly influence those efforts in either direction. And with Semien’s bat heading in the wrong direction as he enters his age-35 season in 2026, the Mets will either have to hope he can reverse that trend or find other ways to rebuild a lineup that was quite productive in 2025 with Nimmo as a regular contributor, especially if another pillar in Alonso leaves.
(Get more Mets news: New York team feed)
Semien’s new cemented spot at the keystone also invites questions about the roles of Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio. It would hardly be surprising if another trade is in the works to address other roster needs by dealing one of these infielders.
Regardless of the exact ramifications of this deal for both franchises, it is an undeniably stunning and abrupt conclusion to both players’ tenures with their now former teams. Nimmo only knew the Mets, having been recruited out of a Wyoming high school in 2011 and becoming a franchise staple in the outfield, playing nearly a full decade in the majors with New York. Semien’s time in Texas may not have been as deeply rooted as Nimmo’s in Queens, but his arrival alongside Corey Seager in free agency ushered in a new era of Rangers baseball that quickly culminated in the franchise’s first World Series title in 2023, and for that, Semien will never be forgotten in the DFW area.
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Semien will now have the chance to pursue another championship with a new team – the fifth organization of his career – while Nimmo settles into a new environment for the first time, still looking for his first World Series appearance.
