Why Marcus Semien Is Not In Texas Rangers Lineup For First Time In Two Years

The Texas Rangers captain and All-Star second baseman was given the day off Wednesday by manager Bruce Bochy.

May 22, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Texas Rangers second base Marcus Semien (2) against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers played their first game in more than two years without their captain on Wednesday.

All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien was given the day off after starting the past 349 regular-season games for Texas.

"Marcus knows this is a good time to take a day off," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "It gives him a couple of days. He's been playing banged up. He got in a pretty good collision out there in right field and he knows it's time to try to get this thing cleared up, and freshen up a little bit."

The club is off Thursday, so Semien will effectively get two complete days off. Bochy told him to leave his spikes in the clubhouse. He didn't want Semien, 33, taking batting practice or working out before the game. Bochy expects Semien to start in Friday's series opener in Miami.

"I want him to take a complete day," he said. Travis Jankowski replaced Semien leading off, the first player to lead off other than Semien since Bochy became the manager before the 2023 season.

Semien has been playing with soreness in his upper back and neck after colliding with right fielder Adolis Garcia on a fly ball during a game on May 18 at Globe Life Field. Both players stayed in the game. Semien is batting .121 with eight strikeouts in the eight games since the collision.

Before the collision, Semien had one of his best weeks of the season, earning American League Player of the Week honors.

In 2023, Semien played in all 179 games, including 17 postseason games during the Rangers' World Series title run. He set an MLB record with 835 plate appearances in a season, including regular and postseason games.

Bochy discussed taking days off with Semien during spring training. Semien is famously stubborn about wanting to be in the lineup every day. In his nine previous full MLB seasons, he has played in at least 155 games seven times, including 159 games six times.

The last time Semien had a day off was May 12, 2022, under then Rangers manager Chris Woodward.

here's that play. definitely looked bad for Marcus Semien, especially around the head/neck area. lucky it wasn't worse for sure. https://t.co/7eFZAfUDye pic.twitter.com/6mhPurWnLy

— kennedi landry (@kennlandry) May 19, 2024

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