New Edition: Texas Rangers ‘accelerate’ return to winning with pillars Seager, Semien
Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward could not stop smiling.
Woodward, who will start his fourth season next spring, will finally field a roster that should reasonably be expected to win.
The club formally introduced four of its free agent signings at Globe Life Field on Wednesday afternoon, including shortstop Corey Seager, second baseman Marcus Semien, outfielder Kole Calhoun, and right-hander Jon Gray.
All told, it was the best day for the Rangers organization so far in its two-year old, $1.2 billion ballpark.
Seager’s 10-year, $325 million deal includes a $5 million signing bonus and will pay him $32.5 million in 2022, $35 million in 2023, $34.5 million in 2024, $32 million in 2025, and $31 million each year from 2026-31.
Semien’s 7-year deal will pay him $25 million in 2022, $26 million each year from 2023-27, and $20 million in 2028.
What had been viewed as a rebuild is now officially a makeover. And the team’s ownership hasn’t pinched any pennies.
Altogether, the Rangers’ $561 million earmarked for the four players has shaken up MLB and completely altered the course of the team’s immediate future.
Winning no longer appears two or more years away. The updated lineup, while it still lacks a pitcher or two, should be markedly improved after five consecutive losing seasons. The Rangers have altered their future in a massively drastic way already and there could be more additions, especially concerning their pitching rotation.
They’ve already announced bobblehead nights featuring their two newest stars — Seager on July 9 and Semien on Aug. 13.
Things are suddenly looking up for a club that lost 102 games in 2021.
“How can you not be excited about that?” Seager said of playing alongside Semien, 31. “There’s not a bad word being said about Marcus. To be up the middle together for a long time is very exciting.”
Seager, 27, and Semien, referred to as pillars by the Rangers’ front office, including general manager Chris Young, president Jon Daniels, and Woodward, both said they were attracted to the challenge of returning the Rangers to glory.
“I’m here seven years. I’m so excited to see what the last year of this seven-year contract looks like, where we are,” said Semien, who was the first player the Rangers met with. “Their vision was the same. They want to build something right now and change this culture, turn it into a winning culture.”
Semien and Seager both suggested that part of the allure of signing with Texas was that there would be multiple additions.
“What I heard is they wanted to add top-of-the-market players. Not player — players,” Semien said. “When you hear that and imagine playing up the middle with Corey Seager.”
Calhoun’s deal is for $5.2 million in 2022 with a club option worth $5.5 million in 2023, which does not include a buyout.
Gray, who turned 30 last month, is 53-49 in seven seasons with the Rockies. He grew up in Oklahoma and played for the Sooners. His four-year deal is worth $56 million. He’ll be paid $15 million each for 2022 and 2023, and $13 million in 2024 and 2025.
Semien, who was joined by his with Tarah and sons Isaiah, 5, Joshua, 3, and Eli, 10 months, left an impression on the Rangers’ brass during their meeting when he told them he wasn’t afraid of the challenge of helping build the club back into a winner.
Seager was joined by his wife Maddie, and Gray was joined by his wife Jacklyn.
“That’s why he’s here,” Young said. “We feel like Marcus is the right person to take us where we’re looking to go, in winning championships, and do something no Texas Rangers team has ever done.”
The Rangers front office is not only betting on the on-field talents of specifically Seager and Semien, but their clubhouse leadership and demeanor.
“Not only the player, that speaks for itself, but the person, the leader, the family man — all the intangibles we could ask for in a player and a leader — Marcus embodies,” Young said. “I think that was a huge factor in our decision to pursue Marcus in free agency.”
Woodward, who was given a contract extension recently, knew Seager well from his time as a Dodgers coach. Semien said Young and Woodward being former players helped sway his decision. Semien is coming off a career-high 45 homer season with the Blue Jays.
“I was so impressed with the way they talked to me,” he said. “As former players and looking for the players they want.”
Young, Daniels and Woodward told all four players they wanted to win now.
“Let’s accelerate that process and that’s what they told me,” Semien said. “I love the stadium and I love the idea of my family being here and raising my kids here and playing middle infield at a high level for a long time. From a family point of view, the DFW area checks all of the boxes.”
Woodward was all in on Seager from the start, he said, just from knowing the type of person and player he is from an intimate perspective. But he also had all the respect for Semien from afar.
“When you look at what we want all of our players to become, Marcus represents,” he said. “Who this guy is, what he stands for. He took a leap of faith on us.”
Super agent Scott Boras, who represents both Seager and Semien, was part of both introductory press conferences. He acknowledged that one signing was, in part, predicated on the other signing.
“I think [it makes it] a lot easier,” Boras said. “Marcus called me three times a day to see if Corey signed here yet].”
Seager, who is regarded as one of the top, young hitters in the game, said he was knocked out by the Rangers’ sales pitch. He is averaging .297, 26 home runs and 93 RBIs over his first seven seasons.
“It was pretty impressive and we were blown away,” he said of he and his wife. “They were straightforward. They were very open and honest about how many games they lost and where they’re at as an organization right now, and what their vision is for the organization. That’s something we wanted to embrace. That’s something I enjoy. I enjoy the work-ethic, the grind, the passion for the game. Do it the right way and have the right people.”
The Rangers think they’ve found the right people.
“Corey is someone who is committed to greatness, who is an unbelievable competitor and who does everything he possibly can do to be successful and inspiring his teammates to do the same,” Young said. “And I think that’s why he’s a perfect fit for our organization.”
Seager said the additions of Semien, along with Calhoun and Gray, was a big factor in choosing Texas.
“That was most important. This is baseball. You need a lot of guys. One guy is not going to carry a team like that,” Seager said. “That was my biggest concern going into the meeting. It can’t just be me. It takes a whole clubhouse. It takes going out and getting guys when you need them, and they’ve proven that so far and it’s really exciting to see.”
This story was originally published December 1, 2021 at 7:25 PM.
