WASHINGTON — A three-game series at home is one thing, but a nine-game stretch is a different story for Marcus Semien.
For over a week now, Semien has been the most productive hitter in the Rangers’ lineup. In a game against the Nationals, he was positioned in the cleanup role, marking the sixth batting order spot he has occupied this season at age 34.
The Texas coaching staff has made adjustments, allowing him the flexibility to find his swing, and it appears he has finally made significant progress.
“I just want to stay consistent,” Semien said on Saturday after the Rangers’ victory over the Nationals, where he went 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. “Eventually, when we have postgame discussions, I’d like it to just be ‘good job’ instead of ‘you were bad,’ you know?”
Marcus Semien’s Path Back
Semien is acutely aware of the discussions surrounding him. For the first two months of the season, he struggled through his worst slump since joining the Rangers in 2022, hitting below .200 until late May.
While players often try to ignore the external noise, manager Bruce Bochy acknowledged in late May that it was affecting the team.
As a 34-year-old second baseman on a seven-year, $ 175 million contract, Semien is an easy target for criticism. The expectation is for him to deliver strong performances, but like many of his teammates this season, his offensive rhythm was off.
In his first 56 games, he recorded a batting line of .173/.260/.224 with a .485 OPS.
To address similar struggles, the Rangers sent first baseman Jake Burger to Triple-A Round Rock for a week to help him regain his swing, and they sat Adolis Garcia during the entire series against the Cardinals for a swing adjustment and a reset of his plate approach.
That’s when Semien began to find his stride.
Since the start of the series against St. Louis on May 30, Semien has participated in nine games, boasting an impressive slash line of .517/.588/.931 and a remarkable 1.519 OPS. During this stretch, his batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS have been the highest in the league.
As he heads into Tuesday’s opener against the Minnesota Twins, his overall season stats have improved to .217/.304/.316 with a .619 OPS, including six home runs and 27 RBIs.
It’s a positive sign. By the end of 2022, after emerging from his slump, he finished with a slash line of .248/.304/.429 and a .733 OPS, along with 26 home runs and 83 RBIs.
Even with this limited sample size, this is the Semien that the Rangers have been in desperate need of for the past two months.
What has contributed to Semien’s turnaround? He gave credit to the coaching staff, praising their hard work in supporting the players. However, he also emphasized that it’s ultimately up to the players to deliver results.
Manager Bochy shared a similar sentiment. He encourages players like Semien to focus on their strengths, particularly during challenging times.
“We want players to stay true to their strengths,” Bochy stated. “He has a quick swing and tends to pull the ball frequently, which has worked well for him. That’s what has made his career so successful. But when your timing is off, it’s tough to execute your usual skills. He gains a lot of confidence when he’s seeing the ball well and drawing walks. We want him to be authentic to himself.”
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