Mets acquired 2B Marcus Semien from the Rangers for OF Brandon Nimmo and cash.
The trade was reported last night and is now official. The Mets are sending the Rangers $5 million to cover some of the $101.25 million Nimmo still has on his contract. While Semien’s offensive production has dipped in the last two years, underlying metrics (and a ballpark upgrade) suggest that he could still be a .250 hitter who has 20 home runs, 10-15 steals, and plays well above-average defense at second base. That last part is a key reason that the Mets acquired him, since they have been adamant that improving their team defense is a key focus for them this offseason.