Rangers may have to finish playoff push without their captain

It's been a tough 2025 for Texas Rangers veteran Marcus Semien. He started the year in a pretty epic slump that had some fans bailing on him and wondering if he was "washed." He proved he was not washed at all and started to hit like he's been known to do for years. Unfortunately, it does not look like he might be done for the season. And if he's not done, he's going to miss a great deal of the next month, when the Rangers are trying their best to get back into the playoff race.

Semien has missed the last few games after getting hit in the foot by a pitch, and it was clear something was very wrong. He went on the IL for the first time in eight years. It's only the second IL stint he's had in his 13-year career. At the time, the Rangers weren't sure what the issue was, calling it a "foot contusion."

What Marcus Semien’s foot injury means for the Texas Rangers’ playoff chase

On Sunday, the verdict came back, and it's a worst-case scenario for the Texas Rangers. Semien is dealing with a fractured third metatarsal bone and a Lisfranc sprain. The injuries are expected to keep him out of action for four to six weeks.

That's almost a guarantee he'll miss the rest of the regular season, barring an ahead-of-schedule recovery. The injuries are bad enough that, should the Rangers make the playoffs, his availability will be in doubt.

It's far from ideal, even as a sweep of the Cleveland Guardians has given the Texas Rangers hope. They're still 4.5 games out of a wildcard spot, but they're now just 1.5 games behind the Kansas City Royals for fourth in the standings. They're also back to .500 on the season. They'll need to find a way to win without Marcus Semien. So far so good, but how long can they keep that up?