Marcus Semien went 0-for-4 Sunday in the New York Mets’ 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins, a defeat that completed Miami’s three-game sweep and included Semien grounding into a double play in the sixth inning after Brett Baty drew a leadoff walk.
The result left Semien with a season line that has failed to meet the club’s hopes: a.214/.263/.297 slash with three home runs and a.560 OPS in 192 plate appearances. In 52 games this year he was hitting.218 with three homers and 18 RBIs and carried a -0.3 WAR; his OPS in May was just.552.
Semien, 35, described his own problem plainly. "What I am feeling is that I am putting the ball in play, but I am not driving the ball," he said. "I am just trying to do everything I can to be on time, to be ready for high velocity and handle the off-speed they throw."
The slump has extra weight because the Mets acquired Semien in November in the trade that sent Brandon Nimmo to Texas. That deal swapped remaining contract commitments as much as players: Nimmo had five years and $102.5 million left on his deal, while Semien has three years and $72 million remaining. Nimmo, meanwhile, produced six home runs, 18 RBIs, a.275/.350/.440 slash line and a 1.9 WAR in 49 games for the Rangers.
Manager Carlos Mendoza pushed back against a rush to judgment, highlighting Semien’s work ethic. "It’s been hard for him, but this is a guy that continues to show up and put the work in, day in and day out," Mendoza said. "I am not worried, because I am watching him grinding behind the scenes." He added that the club still believes in Semien’s role: "You hope at some point that he’s going to come out of it. He’s been in this league a long time and there is a reason why we want to continue to run him out there."
The tension is straightforward. Semien’s contact rates and playing time have not translated into the power or on-base production the Mets expected when they made the swap in November. With New York sitting 13 and a half games back of the division leader, per a recent report, the margin for prolonged slumps is thin and the optics of the trade—particularly given the remaining dollars on each contract—look sharper when Semien’s numbers lag.
Financial and roster realities will keep Semien in the picture: he is under contract through 2028, would not reach free agency until 2029, and is earning $26 million annually for the next two seasons. Mendoza’s comments make clear the club will continue to give him opportunities while he tries to flip the script.
What matters now is whether Semien can convert contact into authority. "What I feel is that I'm making contact, but not with authority. I'm just trying to do everything I can to get my timing right, be ready for the fastball, and be ready for the breaking balls they're throwing," he said. If that adjustment comes quickly, the Mets can absorb a slow patch; if it does not, the trade and the team’s immediate hopes will feel the consequences.
