Semien back at Globe Life Field as Mets visit Rangers

The second baseman faced his former club in Arlington for the first time since the Rangers dealt him to New York last November.

Marcus Semien was back at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, facing the Texas Rangers as an opponent for the first time since the club sent him to the New York Mets in a November 2025 trade. The deal brought outfielder Brandon Nimmo and cash to Texas, closing a four-year stint for the second baseman in Arlington.

Texas marked the occasion with a pregame ceremony ahead of the opener of a three-game set. Semien had signed a seven-year, $175 million deal with the Rangers before 2022 and was a central figure in the organization's first World Series title in 2023.

Speaking before the game, in comments shared on X by MLB.com's Kennedi Landry, Semien said the ballpark remains meaningful to him. "There's a lot of memories, a lot of reminiscing," he said. "I really think about 2023. It was the pinnacle of my baseball career. … This is a place that's really special."

During that 2023 season, Semien appeared in all 162 games, topped the American League with 185 hits and 122 runs, clubbed 29 homers and totaled 100 RBIs. He came in third in AL MVP voting, earned a Silver Slugger and later received MLB's Heart & Hustle Award.

Heading into Tuesday, Semien was hitting .219 with 14 homers, 10 steals and a .626 OPS for a Mets club that sat 71-85 and out of the playoff race. The Rangers, at 78-78, led the AL West and held a 3-2 edge over New York in the top of the sixth inning.