The Texas Rangers have made their first splash in free agency.
According to multiple reports, the Rangers have agreed to a seven-year, $175 million deal with All-Star shortstop Marcus Semien.
Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, this does not eliminate the Rangers’ pursuit of fellow free agent shortstop Trevor Story.
Semien, 31, has experience at both shortstop and second base and could very well slide over to make room for someone like Story, who is a Texas native and has been linked to the Rangers this offseason.
The Rangers, who lost 102 games last season, are in the midst of a rebuild and just had a fire sale at the trade deadline, giving them ample money to spend this winter.
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Whether or not they add Story, the addition of Semien is not insiginificant.
The infielder is coming off a career-best season with the Toronto Blue Jays, slugging 45 home runs with 102 RBI and stealing 15 bases while posting a .768 OPS.
He was named to his first All-Star team and finished third in the MVP race behind teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and winner Shohei Ohtani.
Semien is also the first domino to fall in what is a loaded free-agent shortstop class which includes Story, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager and Javier Baez.
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