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Rangers' star shows patience is a virtue, even this late in the season

The second baseman has caught fire since May 1 and we are seeing vintage Marcus Semien return from the shadows.
ByJeff Speicher|
Texas Rangers v Washington nationals
Texas Rangers v Washington nationals | Mitchell Layton/GettyImages

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice...well, you know how it goes. The point being, we have seen Texas Ranger star second baseman Marcus Semien get off to horrendous starts before.

Marcus Semien catching fire in June is a blast to the past

Back in 2022, Semien was hitting .190 in his first 50 games. Similarly, he had only hit two home runs with a .528 OPS. It looked as if the Rangers were getting robbed in the first year of a massive 7-year $175 million contract.

Around the beginning of May, however, Semien got hot and hit well the rest of the season, finishing with typical Semien numbers of .248, 26 HR, 83 RBI, and 25 steals. He managed to put up a rare 25/25 season after a disastrous start.

Semien's start to 2025 had Rangers' fans worrying, yet again and asking questions if the Gold Glover and three-time All-Star's best days were behind him. But alas, it looks like this is becoming his modus operandi as he hits his mid-30s.

They say patience is a virtue and waiting for Semien to snap out of his funk has tested ours. Through 45 games, he was hitting just .176 and his lack of slug was concerning. In his first 220 at-bats, he had just four extra-base hits.

The last 20 games, however, have been vintage Semien.

In that span he is 20-63 (.317) and he has started hitting with much more power, clubbing three homers to go along with 9 RBIs. He is also consistently barreling the ball with an exit velocity off the bat of 100+ mph.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy desperately wants to continue to move Semien back toward his customary leadoff spot and have him hit before Corey Seager. As of June 8, he had slotted Semien's hot bat in the cleanup spot, up from the seventh position, and the veteran has delivered in a big way.

Let's hope that Semien continues to find his groove so the Rangers can get back into contention in a crowded AL West. Meanwhile, it would be a lot easier on Marcus and the fanbase if he didn't continue to get off to such slow starts.

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