Rangers deal ex-Blue Jay Marcus Semien to Mets for outfielder Brandon Nimmo, cash

The Texas Rangers have traded Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien to the New York Mets in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo and cash.

The deal announced Monday ends Nimmo's 10-year run with the Mets to start his career. A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that Nimmo agreed to waive the no-trade provision in the eight-year, $162 million US contract he signed after becoming a free agent for the first time after the 2022 season. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because that detail wasn't released.

Nimmo is due annual salaries of $20.25 million each season through 2030, and the 32-year-old left-handed hitter will get an additional $1 million assignment bonus from the Mets for waiving the no-trade provision. As part of the trade, the Mets will send Texas $5 million by Sept. 18.

Semien, who played the 2021 campaign with the Toronto Blue Jays, has three seasons and $72 million remaining on the seven-year, $175 million contract he signed with the Rangers in December 2021. That was at the same time they, also in free agency, added World Series MVP shortstop Corey Seager on a 10-year, $325 million pact.

That half-billion-dollar middle infield helped the Rangers win their only World Series title in 2023. But that was the only winning record the past nine seasons for the team that this year finished .500 (81-81) for the first time in franchise history.

Slugging outfielder Adolis Garcia, switch-hitting catcher Jonah Heim and right-handed reliever Josh Sborz, three other players who had significant roles in the World Series championship, all became free agents Friday when the Rangers didn't tender any of them contracts for 2026.

The 35-year-old Semien won his second Gold