NEW YORK — Brandon Nimmo, the Mets’ longest-tenured player and one of the most popular names in recent franchise history, is heading to Texas in a mega trade that shakes up the core of the club.
The Mets are finalizing a deal to send Nimmo to the Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien, multiple sources confirmed Sunday night. Neither team has confirmed the change.
The deal abruptly ends Nimmo’s days in Queens after 10 largely productive seasons, amid an eight-year, $162 million contract that was intended to make Nimmo a lifetime Met. Instead, he will join former teammate Jacob deGrom in Texas, while the Mets increase their roster flexibility with the acquisition of Semien.
One of the best defensive second basemen in the game, Semien was also one of the best offensive middle infielders in all of baseball as recently as 2023, when he finished third in American League MVP voting with a season in which he hit 29 home runs, drove in 100 runs, stole 14 bases, produced an .826 OPS and compiled a 7.7 WAR. Now 35 years old, Semien hasn’t been that type of player in the last two seasons. But he’s still a solid contributor who won a Gold Glove in 2025.
More than anything, Semien’s presence gives the Mets significantly more flexibility, helping president of baseball operations David Stearns accomplish his stated goal of improving New York’s run prevention. Nimmo, who will turn 33 on Opening Day, is coming off one of the worst defensive seasons of his career. The Mets now have options to replace him, including using Jeff McNeil or top prospect Carson Benge in left field, or pursuing a free agent outfielder like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger. They are considering all of those options, according to a source.
The price of that flexibility was parting ways with Nimmo, who won over a hard-working fan base with his humility and effervescent personality. Nimmo, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2011 draft, broke into the major leagues five years later and became part of the club’s core with a breakout season in 2018, displaying a keen eye that made him one of the game’s best on-base hitters. Three consecutive injury-plagued seasons followed, but since 2022 he has been one of the most durable players in the Majors, averaging 152 games per season in those four years.
If Nimmo had stayed in Flushing, he might have had his No. 9 retired at Citi Field one day. Instead, he joins a long list of popular Mets who spend the latter half of their careers elsewhere.
Nimmo, who signed his eight-year contract before the 2023 season, has already agreed to waive his entire no-trade clause, according to a source. He has $102.5 million left on that deal, and according to MLB Network analyst Jon Heyman, the Mets are sending $5 million to Texas.
Semien, who signed a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers in December 2021, does not have a no-trade clause. He has $72 million left on that deal.
For the Mets, the deal will end up like that combination of Nimmo, McNeil, Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso that has been in place since 2021 and that has largely proven unsuccessful. Alonso is a free agent and could also sign elsewhere, although the Mets remain interested in re-signing him.
