The MLB world received a shocking jolt on Sunday when multiple media outlets reported that the Texas Rangers are trading Marcus Semien to the New York Mets for Brandon Nimmo.
The offseason is only a few weeks old, but this is easily the biggest move of the winter thus far. Semien is a three-time All-Star who’s only two years removed from helping lead the Rangers to their first World Series title in franchise history, while Nimmo is one of the sport’s most reliable sluggers.
Both players are on nine-figure deals with several years remaining on their contracts, making the trade even more jarring. One-for-one trades of star players are relatively rare in baseball, especially this early in the offseason.
Shortly after the news broke on Sunday, MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post joined MLB Network to break down the trade and explain why it happened.
Jon Heyman Explains Stunning Mets-Rangers Swap
According to Heyman, the Mets were looking to upgrade defensively after missing the playoffs following their shocking second-half collapse. He said they also wanted to balance their lefty-heavy lineup by adding a right-handed bat.