Corey Seager addressed concerns this winter about his so-called “toxic” relationship with Marcus Semien, his double-play partner, which contributed to his trade from Texas to the Mets.
According to a report from the Post’s Joel Sherman on January 23, the Rangers were willing to pay $5 million to bring in Brandon Nimmo from the Mets, partly due to friction between the shortstop and second baseman. Semien still has three years left on his contract, totaling $72 million.
“I’ve heard things internally, but really, it’s all speculation,” Seager explained during spring training in Surprise, Arizona, on Monday. “Marcus and I had a solid relationship. We always respected each other, acted like professionals, and understood our work ethic. We aimed for our goals and achieved them in 2023. So, nothing can take that away from us.”
The infield duo joined the Rangers ahead of the 2022 season, with Seager making a high-profile move from the Dodgers on a ten-year, $325 million contract, while Semien signed a seven-year, $175 million deal with the Blue Jays. They celebrated the franchise’s first World Series title in 2023, but over the previous two seasons, their overall record was a disappointing 159-165, including a .500 finish last year.
Seager, now 31, was named MVP in the 2023 World Series against the Diamondbacks, although he was restricted to just 102 games in 2025 after undergoing an appendectomy in August.
Meanwhile, 35-year-old Semien—a three-time All-Star—had a down year offensively, hitting 15 home runs and posting 62 RBIs with a career-low .669 OPS.
Still, his defensive skills remained impressive, with only two errors and a fielding percentage of .996, earning him a second Gold Glove Award for his performance as a second baseman. This defensive capability was appealing to the Mets, who aimed to boost their run prevention strategy during the offseason.
