Mets trading Brandon Nimmo to Rangers for Marcus Semien in stunning move to jump-start offseason
The Mets’ first major move after missing the postseason involved trading their longest-tenured player.
They’re sending Brandon Nimmo — who had a full no-trade clause after inking his eight-year, $162 million deal back in 2022 — to the Rangers in exchange for infielder Marcus Semien, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.
The Mets’ longtime outfielder approved the deal, according to Heyman.
Nimmo, who has spent all 10 seasons of his career in Queens, hit .262 with a .760 OPS across 155 games last season, while Semien — an All-Star in three of the last five seasons — hit .230 with a .669 OPS across 127 games.
And it’s the first step for president of baseball operations David Stearns to fix a roster that had World Series expectations in 2025 but couldn’t even crack the postseason tournament.
Brandon Nimmo has spent all 10 of his MLB seasons with the Mets. AP
Semien, a second baseman, adds a new piece to the Mets’ infield — which often shuffled through Jeff McNeil and Brett Baty at second base last year — and provides a fresh start for the right-handed hitter who also previously played for the White Sox and A’s.
He inked a seven-year, $175 million deal with the Rangers ahead of the 2022 season, and he became a key piece of the Texas team that won the World Series the following year.
But Semien’s addition forced the Mets — in a one-for-one swap of players — to part with their outfield mainstay, who experienced the highs of the run to the NLCS in 2024 along with the lows of 2023 and 2025.
Marcus Semien is pictured in 2023. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
He tied the Mets’ franchise record with a nine-RBI game last season, and he hit 20 homers in each of his last three campaigns, too.
Nimmo, 32 and a first-round pick by the Mets out of high school in 2011, dealt with plantar fasciitis in his left foot during the 2024 playoffs, and his recovery from that carried over into the start of spring training.
Stearns will also need to address the potential exits of closer Edwin Diaz and first baseman Pete Alonso in free agency, in addition to addressing a rotation and bullpen that underperformed down the stretch.
But now, after the exit of Nimmo, the Mets will likely need to add another outfielder, too.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
