Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers are all in for the 2022 season.

Perhaps no team has made as much noise this offseason as the American League West club, which is looking to bounce back from a 60-102 effort in 2021.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Monday that the Rangers agreed to a massive 10-year, $325 million contract with shortstop Corey Seager. He also previously reported that the Rangers agreed to deals with infielder Marcus Semien for seven years, $175 million and pitcher Jon Gray for four years, $56 million.

The ESPN report also noted that Texas agreed to a one-year, $5.2 million deal, including a 2023 team option, with outfielder Kole Calhoun.

It is quite a drastic approach for a team listed at 26th in the league for 2022 total payroll with approximately $48.3 million as of Monday, per Spotrac.

All of these moves could leave the Rangers with a starting lineup that looks something like this across the diamond:

• C: Jonah Heim

• 1B: Nate Lowe

• 2B: Marcus Semien

• 3B: Yonny Hernandez

• SS: Corey Seager

• RF: Adolis Garcia

• CF: Leody Taveras

• LF: Billy McKinney

• DH: Willie Calhoun

That is a lineup that doesn't look like it will lose 102 games on the way to a third consecutive last-place finish in the AL West.

Texas has been very aggressive after a sustained period of losing. It has finished below .500 in each of the last five years and has not advanced past the AL Division Series since back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.

The payroll will be much higher than in the past, but that figures to bring far more success on the field with a lineup that will rely on contributions from the new middle infield pairing of Seager and Semien.

Seager had previously been with the Los Angeles Dodgers for his entire career and amassed a resume that includes the National League Rookie of the Year, a World Series MVP, two Silver Sluggers and two All-Star selections.

He brings power from a shortstop spot that doesn't always feature sluggers and can also hit for average with a career slash line of .297/.367/.504. It would be a surprise if he wasn't a featured part in the middle of Texas' lineup.

Yet Seager doesn't feature as much power as Semien, which is a daunting thought for pitchers in the AL West.

The 31-year-old slashed .265/.334/.538 with 45 home runs, 102 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 2021 for the Toronto Blue Jays. He also flashed the leather as a Gold Glover to go with his Silver Slugger during what turned into a career season.

Semien has played for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and Blue Jays throughout his career and brings a durable presence to the middle of the Rangers' infield after appearing in all 162 games in 2019 and 2021. He has played 155 or more games five different times in his career.

The AL West is still a challenging division with the Houston Astros leading the way, but the Rangers look primed to compete after contributing far more to their payroll this offseason.

Corey Seager is reportedly on the move.

The star shortstop agreed a 10-year, $325 million deal with the Texas Rangers on Monday, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

This is just the latest in what has been a busy week for the Rangers, as they reportedly added infielder Marcus Semien, pitcher Jon Gray and outfielder Kole Calhoun on Sunday. 

In a span of about 24 hours, the Texas Rangers have committed half a billion dollars to sign Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. Just like that, they’ve got the best middle infield in baseball as they start their rebuild.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2021

Seager, 27, had another excellent year for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021, hitting .306 with 16 homers, 57 RBI, 54 runs and a .915 OPS in 95 games. A broken fifth metacarpal in his right hand cost him a big chunk of the season, but he was productive as ever when healthy. 

But unlike last year, when his torrid bat in the postseason (.328 with eight homers, 20 RBI, 20 runs and a 1.171 OPS) helped lead the Dodgers to a title, he hit just .188 for L.A. in this season's playoffs, which was a factor in the team's loss to the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS. 

When Seager has been able to avoid injury, he's emerged as one of the best shortstops in baseball and a potent threat at the plate. In a loaded free-agency class at the position—Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Javier Baez and Marcus Semien also hit the market—Seager was always primed for a major payday. 

The Dodgers were in the market to retain him, but their current estimated payroll of $193.0 million is already the second-highest mark in baseball, per Spotrac. And Seager wasn't the team's only high-profile free agent, with Chris Taylor and Clayton Kershaw also hitting the market. 

So the Dodgers' loss is the Rangers' gain. It's a good day in Texas.

Seager will be a major upgrade over Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who handled shortstop duties for the team last year and did an admirable job. And don't expect the Rangers to be finished in free agency just yet as they look to rebuild on the fly.

The Texas Rangers remain in the Corey Seager sweepstakes after reportedly signing Marcus Semien to a massive contract, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Possible Dodgers could lose both Max Scherzer and Corey Seager. Rangers remain in mix for Seager, sources tell @TheAthletic. Already have reached agreements today with Marcus Semien, Kole Calhoun and Jon Gray. Trevor Story also possible if Rangers cannot get Seager.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 29, 2021

MLB Network's Jon Heyman previously reported the American League West team is "open to signing another of the big shortstops" and noted it has contacted Seager, Trevor Story, Javier Baez and Carlos Correa.

This comes after ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the Rangers agreed to a seven-year, $175 million contract with Semien.

Seager is coming off a season in which he slashed .306/.394/.521 with 16 home runs and 57 RBI in 95 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The seven-year veteran owns a career .297/.367/.504 slash line. He has received MVP votes three times in his career, finishing as high as third in 2016, the same season in which he won the National League Rookie of the Year award.

Seager also played a major role in the Dodgers' 2020 championship run, winning MVP of both the NLCS and World Series. He hit .328 with eight home runs and 20 RBI during that postseason.

Also of note, Seager has been named to two All-Star teams and won a pair of Silver Sluggers. 

While Semien is capable of playing shortstop, he also has experience elsewhere. According to FanGraphs, Semien played 1,246.1 innings at second base and 134 innings at shortstop last season, so relying on him as the primary shortstop may not be the best plan.

Passan reported the Rangers "went into this winter with money to spend" and are "targeting more offense as well as starting pitching" while remaining involved in the pursuit of Story.

Any of the top-notch shortstops would be a major acquisition for a Texas squad attempting to reach the postseason for the first time since the 2016 campaign. The Rangers were just 60-102 in 2021 and finished in last place in the AL West, so there is plenty of room for improvement.

Being in a division with the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics doesn't make life much easier, although landing players like Semien will certainly help.

All Semien did in 2021 was win a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger while making his first career All-Star Game. He slashed .265/.334/.538 with 45 home runs, 102 RBI and 15 stolen bases while helping Toronto finish with a 91-71 record.

He also played for the Chicago White Sox and Athletics the previous eight years and notably hit 33 long balls in 2019 for Oakland.

Semien is familiar with the AL West from that time with the Athletics and may have the opportunity to play alongside a notable shortstop in Texas given the recent updates.        

The New York Yankees have made no secret about pursuing a shortstop this offseason, and one of the best free agents is now off the board as Marcus Semien reportedly agreed to sign with the Texas Rangers.

MLB Network's Jon Heyman reports that Semien's deal is for $175 million over seven years. Heyman added that the Yankees showed interest in the 31-year-old, but stopped short of offering a seven-year contract.

Semien spent the 2021 season with the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year deal and was moved to second base. The position change had no ill effects as he was named to the All-Star Game for the first time in his nine-year career and won his first Gold Glove.

Semien broke Brian Dozier's record for home runs by a second baseman with a career-high 45 dingers, earning him his first Silver Slugger award. The first-team All-MLB selection batted .265/.334/.538 and added career-bests of 102 RBI and 15 stolen bases. He also led the majors with 86 extra-base hits.

Semien finished third in the voting for American League MVP, matching his finish in 2019. He's the only player with two top-three MVP finishes in the past three years.

Semien joins a Rangers team that has finished last in the AL West in each of the past two seasons and hasn't made the playoffs since 2016. His power bat will help boost a lineup that finished 26th in the majors in home runs last year with 167. 

When he spoke to reporters in October, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman called shortstop "an area of need" this offseason. Gleyber Torres was moved to second base towards the end of the year due to a disappointing performance and Cashman said he believes Torres is "best served" at that position.. 

With Semien no longer available, there is still a number of high-quality shortstops available on the open market. Former All-Stars Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Javier Baez and Trevor Story will surely be among the players the Yankees pursue in free agency.

The Texas Rangers aren't looking to lose 102 games again.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the Rangers agreed to a seven-year, $175 million deal with middle infielder Marcus Semien, one of the top position players on the free-agent market.

Per Baseball Reference, Semien played 147 games at second base for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021, but shortstop has been his primary position across his MLB career. He told Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith in September that "I still see myself as a shortstop."

Penciling Semien in at short rather than second, here's what Texas' lineup could look like:

• 1. Willie Calhoun, DH
• 2. Marcus Semien, SS
• 3. Adolis Garcia, RF
• 4. Nate Lowe, 1B
• 5. Jonah Heim, C
• 6. Billy McKinney, LF
• 7. Nick Solak, 2B
• 8. Leody Taveras, CF
• 9. Yonny Hernandez, 3B

However, he might wind up at second base because Passan reported Texas is still pursuing Trevor Story:

The Rangers aren't done. Even though they got Marcus Semien, they're still in the Trevor Story sweepstakes. They went into this winter with money to spend, they got a whole lot better with Semien and now they're targeting more offense as well as starting pitching.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 28, 2021

Spotrac projected the Rangers to have a $48.3 million payroll heading into the 2022 MLB season that doesn't include Semien's salary. Unless his contract is front- or back-loaded, he'll count for an annual payroll hit of $25 million.

Meanwhile, Passan reported Sunday night that Texas agreed to a deal with pitcher Jon Gray for four years and $56 million. The team also signed Kole Calhoun to a one-year, $5.2 million deal, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

With Gray's contract holding an average annual value of $14 million and the deals of Calhoun and Semien tacked on, the Rangers' payroll is expected to be around $92.5 million at this point in free agency.

As Passan alluded to, that still leaves a lot of room for a franchise that routinely had an Opening Day payroll around $130-$150 million a few years ago, per Cot's Baseball Contracts.

In addition to landing another big fish in free agency, the Rangers could use their flexibility to tie down some of their best minor league prospects.

I don't know what the next few days/weeks/months look like for the Texas Rangers, but for a team apparently pushing their chips in, I'd imagine deals for pitching revolving around prospects like Justin Foscue, Ezequil Duran, Trevor Hauver or Luisangel Acuna make some sense.

— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) November 28, 2021

Additional reinforcements are clearly needed after five straight years of missing the playoffs. Texas also jettisoned its best player, Joey Gallo, ahead of the 2021 trade deadline. Semien will help, but he alone doesn't make the franchise a World Series contender.

To be fair, spending $$$ to improve when they aren't good yet is what every fan wants to see. There's no way this is Texas' last move.

To land the first big fish, you often have to overpay a bit, especially if Boras is involved. NYM/TEX are the most intriguing teams this winter.

— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) November 28, 2021

Beyond improving the roster, this move may be a sign of intent from the front office.

If the Rangers strike out on Story, then they might simply set their sights on another of the top stars still available.

Veteran infielder Marcus Semien agreed to a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Texas Rangers on Sunday, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Robert Murray of FanSided first reported a deal was close.

Semien's decision to sign with a new team does not come as a surprise. He was one of the best shortstops on the open market alongside Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Corey Seager and Javier Baez. 

The 31-year-old was also gearing up to sign a big deal in free agency, hiring the Scott Boras Corporation to represent him, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman. 

Boras has been viewed as one of the best agents in baseball for a while, having negotiated megadeals for New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (nine years, $324 million) and Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon (seven years, $245 million).

Semien had one of the best seasons of his nine-year career with the Blue Jays in 2021, hitting .265/.334/.538 with 45 home runs and 102 RBI. He also earned his first All-Star selection last season.

The San Francisco native was looking for a long-term deal even before the 2021 season but struggled to come to terms. Instead, he bet on himself and agreed to a one-year, $18 million deal with the Blue Jays to play second base. 

Semien reportedly had several other suitors on the open market, including the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners, among others. 

It's not surprising that the Rangers pursued Semien in free agency, as they reportedly were also looking at Seager and Story. Isiah Kiner-Falefa would have entered the 2022 season as their starting shortstop if they had not signed Semien or another top free agent. 

Kiner-Falefa was average in 2021, slashing .271/.312/.357 with eight home runs and 53 RBI. 

The Rangers finished 60-102 last season, their fifth straight year without a playoff appearance. Semien should help the club turn things around in 2022. 

The Texas Rangers and manager Chris Woodward agreed to a contract extension Friday that could keep him with the organization through 2024.

The Rangers announced that the extension runs through 2023 and includes a club option for 2024.

Woodward signed a three-year deal to become Rangers manager in 2018, and Texas exercised its club option in his contract for 2022 in March.

In his three seasons as Rangers manager, Woodward has posted a cumulative record of 160-224, which equates to a winning percentage of .417. Texas has yet to reach the playoffs under Woodward and hasn't finished better than third in the American League West.

The Rangers went 60-102 in 2021, which was the second-worst record in the AL behind the Baltimore Orioles.

It also represented Texas' first season with 100 or more losses since it went 57-105 in 1973. The Rangers have won less than 40 percent of their games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1971 (then known as the Washington Senators) to '73 as well.

Prior to becoming the Rangers' manager, Woodward spent 12 seasons in Major League Baseball as an infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox from 1999 to 2011.

Woodward then served in multiple coaching roles with the Mariners from 2013 to '15 and was the Los Angeles Dodgers' third base coach from 2016 to '18.

The Rangers were one of the top teams in the AL from 2010 to '16, earning five playoff berths during that stretch and reaching the World Series in both 2010 and 2011.

Texas has missed the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, however, and doesn't seem like a strong candidate to end that drought in 2022.

Shortstop appears to be at the top of the Texas Rangers' wishlist.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported the Rangers are interested in Marcus Semien.

According to Morosi, Texas has also met with Scott Boras, who represents Corey Seager. The team also hosted Trevor Story on Tuesday, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

Let me make this clear again: Rangers are interested in ALL the shortstops. They could be interested in two of them together to form a middle infield.

They are interested in ALL of the the good players. ALL of them. https://t.co/LBGNbsfDi9

— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) November 19, 2021

The Rangers finished 60-102 in 2021, their second straight year with a winning percentage below .400. A five-year playoff drought is bad enough, but being abject isn't ideal when you have a new ballpark (Globe Life Field) you're looking to fill.

As Grant posited, concurrent pursuits of Semien, Seager and Story may not mean Texas is hedging its bets and hoping to sign only one of the three. 

Semien told Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith he considers himself a shortstop, but he spent the majority of his one season with the Toronto Blue Jays at second base. If they were so inclined, the Rangers could theoretically sign Semien in addition to Seager or Story and play them together.

Simply getting Semien would be a major coup. The 31-year-old was third in the American League MVP voting after finishing with 45 home runs, 102 RBI and an .873 OPS, per Baseball Reference.

His performance at the plate was slightly lower compared to 2019, when he had another third-place MVP finish after batting .285 and posting an .892 OPS.

In between he had a brutal 2020 campaign, slugging .374 and hitting seven homers in 53 games. That wasn't a far cry from what he had delivered prior to 2019, either. That will inevitably lead to questions about what—if any—kind of regression might be in store in 2022.

But he's unquestionably one of the top position players in free agency, and his arrival in Texas would send a clear message to the fanbase.

Expect the Texas Rangers to be in the running for star free-agent shortstop Trevor Story. 

According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the "Rangers have made no secret that they want to be aggressive this winter. They are in the market for everybody, particularly the super class of free-agent shortstops. On Tuesday, according to MLB sources, they hosted Trevor Story of Irving to explain their vision of the future to him."

He added that general manager Chris Young "has had conversations" with Scott Boras, the agent for free-agent shortstops Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.

Those three, along with Carlos Correa and Javier Baez, make up a stacked group of star shortstops on the free-agency market for the Rangers to pursue. 

Sources: #Rangers officials have met with Scott Boras, the agent for free agent Corey Seager (among others). Seager is known to have a strong relationship with Texas manager Chris Woodward, dating back to their time with the Dodgers, as @Feinsand wrote today. @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 10, 2021

Corey Seager has made two All-Star teams, in 2016 and 2017. In both of those seasons, Tim Hyers was the #Dodgers assistant hitting coach. Earlier today, Hyers was announced as the new hitting coach of the . . . yes . . . Texas Rangers. 👀 @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 10, 2021

There is a good deal of industry conversation about Corey Seager as a match for the Texas Rangers. He's tight with Rangers Manager Chris Woodward, a former Dodgers coach & Texas expected to make a big splash in free agency, and focus on building a winning culture. But it's early.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 10, 2021

And the Rangers may be in on more than just the top shortstops:

My report on Seiya Suzuki and the #Rangers today on @MLBNetwork. @MLB pic.twitter.com/EklpzxCU6n

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 18, 2021

Starling Marte market is very hot, so he could be that rare star player who signs a big multiyear deal in November, as I just said on Hot Stove. Phillies, Yankees, Mets, Astros, Rangers, Marlins, many others in. @MLBNetwork

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 18, 2021

Story, 29, had another strong year in 2021, hitting .251 with 24 homers, 34 doubles, 75 RBI, 88 runs, 20 stolen bases, an .801 OPS and 4.2 WAR. However, it's fair to argue that it wasn't the greatest follow-up to back-to-back seasons in which Story was an All-Star and Silver Slugger award winner in 2018 and 2019.

Suffice to say, he'd be a major upgrade for the Rangers over Isiah Kiner-Falefa (though to be fair to Kiner-Falefa, he had a very solid year in 2021).

Signing a player of Story's talent, who also happens to be a Texas native, would be a major statement from the Rangers as they look to end a five-year playoff drought. The Rangers haven't even cracked the 80-win mark during the dry spell. 

They also haven't won a playoff series since 2011, when they reached the World Series, only to lose in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals. 

There is talent to be had in free agency this winter. Labor talks may impact how aggressive teams are in pursuing potential targets, but the Rangers shouldn't be among the teams staying cagey. This is a team in need of star power.

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager is one of the biggest names on the free agency market this offseason and is expected to receive widespread interest around baseball. 

One team to keep an eye on, however, is the Texas Rangers:

There is a good deal of industry conversation about Corey Seager as a match for the Texas Rangers. He's tight with Rangers Manager Chris Woodward, a former Dodgers coach & Texas expected to make a big splash in free agency, and focus on building a winning culture. But it's early.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 10, 2021

His connections to the Rangers run deep:

Corey Seager has made two All-Star teams, in 2016 and 2017. In both of those seasons, Tim Hyers was the #Dodgers assistant hitting coach. Earlier today, Hyers was announced as the new hitting coach of the . . . yes . . . Texas Rangers. 👀 @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 10, 2021

Seager, 27, had another excellent year for the Dodgers, hitting .306 with 16 homers, 57 RBI, 54 runs and a .915 OPS in 95 games. The 2016 NL Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star and 2020 champion and World Series MVP is one of a number of talented shortstops on the market, joining Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Marcus Semien and Javier Baez. 

Suffice to say, there's plenty of buzz surrounding potential suitors for Seager:

These 13 teams are said at least gauging the SS market so good news for the big 5 (Seager, Correa, Story, Baez, Semien). PHI DET TEX NYY LAD LAA MIN HOU CHIC STL COL SEA BOS). The last 2 are surprising but a couple of top SS also play 2B and positional changes r always possible.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 9, 2021

According to sources #Yankees are in conversation with agents for both Corey Seager and Carlos Correa #Confirmed

— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) November 10, 2021

After conversations at the GM meetings the last couple of days, some evaluators in the industry believe that the Yankees' pursuit of a shortstop will be focused on the elite free agents -- Corey Seager, etc.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 10, 2021

And there's always the possibility of a return to the Dodgers:

Dodgers love Corey Seager and remain hopeful to keep him despite the presence of great fallback option Trea Turner. Have major dollars coming off books.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 10, 2021

"Corey's experience in L.A. was, he was a world champion. Treated great, good communication levels," his agent, Scott Boras, told reporters Wednesday. "He had a great experience in L.A. and we look forward to talking about his future there."

As for whether Seager would consider switching positions on a contender, don't bet on it.

"I think teams view Corey Seager as a big play shortstop in big games," Boras told reporters. "Teams are coming after Corey Seager as a shortstop."

One thing seems certain—plenty of teams are going to go after Seager this winter.