Texas Rangers All-Star Faces Tough Challenge Against Father Time to Start 2025
Can Texas Rangers veteran All-Star Marcus Semien turn things around and stave off the effects of Father Time for at least one more season?
Several Rangers players have struggled in the early part of the 2025 season, but the player drawing the most concern is Semien. Designated hitter Joc Pederson has been mired in a 0-for-41 slump since signing in free agency, and first baseman Jake Burger has struggled to find his power, posting a .174/.207/.326 line with just three home runs. But it’s Semien, a two-time All-Star, whose sharp decline in production has raised the most eyebrows.
Through his first 111 plate appearances, Semien has posted a troubling .150/.216/.220 slash line, with just two home runs and one double. His OPS+ stands at a dismal 29, and his WAR is -0.8, which is a significant drop for a player of his caliber.
At 34 years old, it’s hard not to wonder if age is starting to take its toll on the veteran second baseman.
As ESPN’s David Schoenfield noted, slumps like this aren’t unfamiliar for Semien. In his first season with the Rangers in 2022, he went the first 43 games without hitting a home run. However, at 34, these slumps take on a new level of concern.
“Semien has had these types of stretches before,” Schoenfield wrote, but added that at this age, such slumps “look different.”
While the raw numbers are alarming, there are some underlying metrics that offer a glimmer of hope for a turnaround. For one, Semien’s bat speed has remained stable in 2025, suggesting that Father Time hasn’t yet robbed him of his quickness at the plate.
The more concerning issue, however, is his increasing tendency to hit ground balls—he’s currently at a career-high 41.3%. On the other hand, his fly ball rate is also near a career-high at 36.3%, slightly below his 2021 rate of 36.7%.
A key factor in his struggles appears to be bad luck. Semien’s batting average on balls in play (BABIP) is just .167, well below the league average of .296 and his career mark of .281. This suggests that, over time, his numbers should improve as his luck evens out.
Still, the concern about his diminished power is real. His isolated power (ISO) is just .070, a drastic drop from his career average of .183, which paints a concerning picture for his ability to contribute offensively.
For the Rangers to improve an offense that is currently averaging an MLB-worst 3.07 runs per game, they’ll need Semien to find a way to get back on track and provide a boost.
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