Texas Rangers agree to deals with Marcus Semien, Jon Gray and Kole Calhoun, per reports
The Texas Rangers have kept saying they were going to spend some money this offseason and the first checks appear to be written.
According to multiple reports, the Rangers have agreed to deals with three free agents Sunday night.
Infielder Marcus Semien, who the Rangers know well from his six seasons with the Oakland Athletics, has agreed to a seven-year deal with the Rangers for $175 million, according to multiple reports.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Fansided’s Robert Murray both reported the deal Sunday afternoon. The Rangers have yet to confirm the details with the free agent.
Within an hour of the Semien news, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported outfielder Kole Calhoun had agreed on a deal with the Rangers. Details of Calhoun’s deal have yet to surface. Calhoun played eight seasons with the Angels before playing the past two with the Diamondbacks. A hamstring injury limited him to 51 games in 2021.
Later on Sunday, Passan first reported the Rangers and right-handed starting pitcher Jon Gray had agreed to a four-year, $56 million deal.
Gray has spent the past seven seasons with the Rockies. He is 53-49 with a 4.59 ERA. He was 8-12 in 29 starts in 2021. Gray grew up in Oklahoma and played for the Sooners. He was the third overall player selected in the 2013 MLB draft.
BREAKING: Free-agent infielder Marcus Semien is close to a deal with the Texas Rangers, according to sources familiar with the situation.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) November 28, 2021
Semien hit a career-high 45 home runs with 102 RBIs in 2021 for the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent the previous six seasons with the A’s. He played second base mostly for the Blue Jays but had been a shortstop in Oakland.
It’s unclear where the Rangers will play Semien but it’s likely to depend on whether the club is able to sign another potential middle infielder this winter.
The Rangers aren't done. Even though they got Marcus Semien, they're still in the Trevor Story sweepstakes. They went into this winter with money to spend, they got a whole lot better with Semien and now they're targeting more offense as well as starting pitching.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 28, 2021
Jon Gray will get $56 million over four years from Texas, pending a physical, according to a source.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2021
Rangers in agreement with free-agent OF Kole Calhoun, source tells @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 28, 2021