Over two months into free agency, shortstop Marcus Semien remains without a team. It’s not for lack of interest, however, as Jim Bowden of The Athletic tweets that the Athletics, Phillies, Reds and Red Sox have all been part of negotiations with Semien “to some extent.” It’s isn’t known how serious any of those discussions have gotten, however.
Semien, 30, spent the previous six years in Oakland, where he was regularly an average or better starter. He reached a new level in 2019, an MVP-caliber season in which he didn’t miss a game and posted 7.6 fWAR with a .285/.369/.522 line and 33 home runs, but wasn’t able to replicate those otherworldly stats last year. Semien bounced back to a major degree as the year progressed, however, evidenced by a 64 wRC+ in the first half and a 126 mark in the second.
Even though the A’s made it known on multiple occasions during and after the season that they wanted Semien back, they did not give him an $18.9MM qualifying offer. Now, considering he could price himself out of the team’s range in free agency, it seems doubtful low-budget Oakland will win the bidding for Semien. Thanks in part to the pandemic, the A’s don’t seem as if they’ll spend much this winter.
Philadelphia and Cincinnati appear to be more realistic fits for Semien, who would certainly address their gaping holes at shortstop. The Phillies could plug him in to replace Didi Gregorius, another notable veteran shortstop who’s currently a free agent. Freddy Galvis is a free agent for the Reds, meanwhile, leaving Jose Garcia as at least the temporary front-runner to start for them next season. Garcia doesn’t appear ready for that role, though: He never played above High-A ball before last year, when he reached the majors and batted .194/.206/.194 with no home runs, 26 strikeouts and one walk in 68 plate appearances.
Unlike Oakland, Philadelphia and Cincinnati, Boston is targeting Semien as a second baseman, per Bowden. That isn’t surprising, as it was reported last month that teams have shown interest in Semien as an option at the keystone this offseason. Boston already has a set left side of the infield with shortstop Xander Bogaerts and third baseman Rafael Devers, but it still has to sort out second – a position that isn’t foreign to Semien. He played 77 games there as a minor leaguer and another 29 in the bigs with the White Sox from 2013-14.
Along with where he’ll go, an obvious question centering on Semien is how much it will take to sign him. When the offseason began, MLBTR predicted Semien would reel in a one-year, $14MM contract, but as Steve Adams wrote in November, others have been far more bullish in regards to his forthcoming deal. If teams are confident Semien is more the player he was in 2019 and in the second half of 2020, he could indeed collect a substantial payday over multiple years.
I still like Didi for the Phillies. Dont know how Semien is in the clubhouse. Great talent though. He would certainly be a step up over moving Segura back to short.
I’d like Didi back though he will cost the most of the FA Short Stops. I also have some interest in Andrelton Simmon
Semien got the Heart and Hustle Award in 2016 and 2019
Worried about anyone who’s breakout year was 2019 with the juiced ball. That said, who says the Sox left side is set? Devers has a lot to prove if he’s to stick as a third baseman.
A breakout in 2019 that is out of character with the rest of his career, including 2020.
If you haven’t heard about how Semien is in the clubhouse, then there probably isn’t any reason to worry about it.
Like Semien for the Phils if Didi goes elsewhere. They need a LH hitter for the 5 or 6 hole
What about didi to play 2nd or 3rd for dodgers when turner walks?
semien bats right though.
Why IS Oakland always broke? They have fans
They only have 11k show up a game…
They couldn’t even get anyone in the seats last season. /s
There are other things to do in California and the cost of living is high. Not a lot of extra money to go see a baseball game on a whim.
espn.com/mlb/attendance/_/year/2019
He’s the type of guy you want in the clubhouse and an entertaining interview pre and post game. If you can afford him Semien is the type of guy you want on your roster.
Red Sox interested in EVERYONE
No that’s the Blue Jays lol
No that my wife
Hahaha
They want us to think Bloom is on the phone sooring up the team, but what about pitching!!!!!!
But only enough to get mentioned in articles. not enough to actually get ink and paper invovled.
Please, Reds….
I don’t understand why the reds would have the entire team on the trade block to save money and then drop 15 million a year on a SS. Especially when all the players seem to be cheap/fair contracts and multiple years of control.
If we can get a superstar prospect or two (say a Kieboom and Cavalli for Suarez, as one example) we’ve got the depth to move guys to different positions. and still compete
I get the position flexibility and I get the trade of Suarez for top tier prospects especially if you have to cut payroll. I don’t get why you would then turn around and sign a 30 year that’s not as good as Suarez to a 15 million dollar contract. In the end wouldn’t the team be better by just keeping Suarez and his very affordable contract. Same goes for any of their top end pitchers. Now if you could dump moustakas I’d get it.
We need a very good SS that bad. Garcia should have never been rushed and is probably 2 years away. ’19 and playoff Semien would be a great get.
Yes, as Dbird aptly points out, the Reds do not have a starting caliber SS at the MLB level. Freddy Galvis is A decent back up middle infielder, but that’s about it. It’s why the Reds moved on from him. Garcia needs some serious seasoning. The Reds got ahead of themselves when he lit it up in spring training a year ago. I’d be happy with either Semien, Dee Dee, or Simmons.
This may sound ignorant but the Nats AREN’T getting rid of Cavalli or Rutledge. Most people dont know this I do cuz im a Nats fan.
I agree Luc. The Nats are not going to trade Cavalli or Rutledge. And the Reds are not trading Suarez to the Nats without at least one of them as part of the return. But I do think both teams could match up on a deal to swap Kieboom for Moustakas and a reliever or two.
That’s too bad. Give up just one and Kieboom and you could get a guy who’s averaged 40 hr’s/.900+ OPS in ’18-’19. I think most people would say take it.
LUC 2…….Oh , well then ! Your a Nats fan , you now make the business decisions for the Nats? Is that what season tickets get you now ? That’s a bad argument. Just because your a fan gives you ZERO insight as to what the front office is going to do ..,, good grief.
Nationals passed on suarez and are rolling the dice w other two power hitters they picked up. Is what it is.
To get back to original question- Reds aren’t trading off salary to sign a short stop. They are starting their next attempt to rebuild. If price bottoms out on a guy – they may pounce but they won’t be spending 10+ on any of the likes of Didi, Simmons, or semien.
If the Reds were doing a fire sale, Castillo and Gray would already be Padres. Just because the new GM is looking and listening at trades doesn’t mean he is going to pull the trigger, he is evaluating the market.
It’s a misconception the Reds are trading everyone away… They have only traded away 1 relief pitcher whose honesty a bit overrated. Aside from loosing Bauer, which is obviously a huge hit (but never really an option to bring back based on price). At this point, if they can sign a viable everyday shortstop they may be even in a better place than last year at least for the regular season..
AA please get him for 3RD push Riley to LF Suzuki for BU catcher and resign Duvall for Bench/LF
That sti doesn’t address the main issue of this team, the clean up spot.
Give me a name that the braves would buy that would involve less than a 3 year contract, Braves just dont do long contracts, otherwise we are just waiting for waters?
One that the Braves would buy? I’m not sure even Marcus Semien falls under that description. He will want to many years and to much money.
I fear the only way get a good middle of the order bat is if we find another Donaldson/Ozuna type deal. But I WOULD rather wait for Waters over Semien because he had just one good season. I would like to see him do it again and not on the Braves payroll.
How about Bryant for Inciarte (to lower his price) And 1 lower level prospect? Any other ideas?
Wow. The Cubs aren’t that stupid. Why would they want an old outfielder in return for a younger, former mvp third baseman? Your gonna have to include more than Inciarte and a low level prospect to get that done
Nobody is going to trade for Bryant with what he is owed from the cubs, the only way to dump his salary is for the cubs to eat some $ or trade for another bad contract.
I could see a Bryant trade with ender included but I’d imagine the prospect would at least be decent. Ender is a 5th outfielders making 8 million dollars.
No way he signs with a loser organization like the Reds. They don’t compete, the one “ mini year “ they do hey fold like a cheap tent and then try to trade everyone. He isn’t going there period.
I agree because us Brewers fans are in the same boat. It appears that David Stearns new strategy is to churn over 3/4 of the roster each year for either one year low cost FA’S or minor league contracts. We were on the way to being a perennial contender until he started tearing up the roster after the ‘19 season. For example the only player he tendered Arcia (good).
Yeah right. You heard it from the source, yep
Yep it is … would you have said the same thing about Moose or Castellanos ? Both came from winning teams … no offense but that’s a pretty dumb statement
I am a Reds fan, but I have to agree partly with @Yep, the Reds have been a “looser organization” for a while now. Until they start generating their own young talent, and put up consistent W’s they will have a harder time signing the guys they want. Ozuna and Didi both turned down larger contracts with the Reds last year, than they signed with their teams.
Super skeptical of Semien moving to 2nd, especially when his agent was really keen on some 9 figure contract. It seems the bar is high for him, which probably includes his ability to play SS as he really only has one year of an OPS+ above 100. I think they’ll lower the asking price substantially and Philly could get a decent buy on him, especially with Didi coming off a better season.
Both have produced similar numbers in terms of overall production (i.e. WAR) with Semien having a slight edge with that 2019 campaign and probably, admittedly hopefully, a cheaper contract for a team who saying their wallet got tighter.
He dedicated himself 6 years to be a solid defensive shortstop and teams want him to switch positions? That would seem like an insult to him unless they overpay him to make that position change
It could be a compliment, them noticing how hard he worked at getting better at short & figures he’ll work just as hard switching over to 2nd
Its all about the $
Wonder if he’d take a 3/45 deal, even Oakland could afford that.
Careful. Oakland would take that to mean 3 months for 45 grand
A’s wound want 3/30 or realistically 3/21. He was a huge clubhouse leader but they have Chapman and Olson coming up in the next few years and if they any chance of keeping them its low ball everyone now or sell the team.
Major League Baseball really sucks right now.
They keep losing the ball in the snow drifts
He won’t go to any of those teams listed. He’ll prob sign late for still good money and end up w a contender who sneaks in there at the end. I’ll say Astros
How does Semien fit on the Astros?
Second-Altuve
SS-Corerea
3rd- Bregman
I don’t think Semien would accept a back up role and Altuve and Corerea are better than Semien defensively so moving one to DH wouldn’t make sense.
If the Yankees get tired of the LeMahieu stuff, maybe they go for Semien at SS and let Torres take 2B.
Red Sox have no need for Seimen at his price point. Downs will be ready by 2022 so they just need a 1 year filler at second base (if at all). Spend money on pitching and the OF, they have enough on the roster to cover 2B now (Arroyo, Chavis, Munoz).
Red Sox are set with Devers at 3rd base? I guess….. half the time he fires the ball 5 feet out of the 1st baseman’s reach.