Semien Obvious! Texas Rangers Star Ranks Near Top

Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien was ranked No. 3 in MLB Network’s Top 10 Right Now during a running series ranking the best players at each position.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts and the Houston Astros' Jose Altuve ranked ahead of Semien.

Semien, 33, played in every regular-season and postseason game, setting Major League records for games started (179) and plate appearances (835) while helping the Rangers win their first World Series title.

He finished third in voting for AL Most Valuable Player behind Shohei Ohtani and his teammate Corey Seager. Semien slashed .276/.348/.478/.826 with 40 doubles, four triples, 29 home runs and 100 RBI. He reached 100 RBI for the second time in his career. He was elected to the AL All-Star team for the second time in three seasons.

Semien has been one of the most durable players over the past five seasons. Not including the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he has played in all but one regular-season game and made at least 700 plate appearances in his past four full seasons.

Semien is in the third year of a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers. He and the rest of the Rangers’ position players are scheduled to report for spring training in Surprise, Ariz., by Feb. 19. Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 14.

The rest of the Top 10 included Miami’s Luis Arraez, Arizona’s Ketel Marte, Cincinnati’s Matt McLain, Cleveland’s Andrés Giménez, Minnesota’s Edouard Julien, Oakland’s Zack Gelof and the Chicago Cubs’ Nico Hoerner.