The Texas Rangers set the internet world ablaze earlier today with news breaking that they are signing former Los Angeles Dodgers all-star shortstop Corey Seager to a ten-year deal worth $325 million…and they knew it.
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) November 29, 2021
This comes just a day after the team agreed to a seven-year $175 million contract with former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Marcus Semien to be their new second baseman. While it may seem on the surface that the Rangers have drastically improved their middle-or the-infield, you have to dig a little bit deeper to see that these signings could end up hurting Texas in the long run.
Four reasons the Rangers are crazy for giving $500 million to Corey Seager, Marcus Semien
4. Seager will age out of the contract in three years
Even though he has had multiple injuries derail multiple seasons of his career to this point, Seager has now received the longest contract of 2021, so far. The ten years seems insane for a player who has now had significant hip, elbow, and hamstring injuries in the past. His injuries are so significant that even though he has a career OPS of .871 that is over 100 points better than the MLB league average, Seager has slugged just 100 homers in the past six seasons (less than 17 per year).
3. Semien will age out of his contract in four years
While we do not hate this signing as much as the Seager one, Semien led the league in homers last year with 45 while playing excellent defense. Our concern is the “tread on the tires” here with Semien. After playing virtually every game over the past four seasons and in six of his seven full seasons in the big leagues, the inevitable question pops up of when will his body break down? We are guessing this one lasts longer than Seager before the Rangers are regretting it, but in the long run, a shorter contract would have been better for the Rangers' organization.
2. The Rangers need pitching
Sitting at 23rd in MLB in team earned run average in 2021 (4.79,) the Rangers need to upgrade their pitching staff if they plan on having any success in 2022 and beyond. The recent uninspiring signing of former Colorado Rockies started Jon Gray will do nothing to quench the thirsts of Rangers fans everywhere. They know they have the hitting, but does the franchise also have the deep pockets and/or farm base to bring back a couple of big fish from the pitching free agency pool.
1. The Production does not match the money with Seager
If the Rangers are paying Seager $32.5 million per year for that type of production, he will be making $2 million per home run for the next ten years. That goes without saying, but it is way too much. You want it to be much closer to one, so Seager is going to need to stay healthy for the extent of the contract for that to happen. He hasn't shown the ability to do that consistently through his MLB career to this point, but the Rangers are surely betting on his improved health.
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