For the first time in two years, Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien did not report to work. That's because the Rangers finally gave him the day off.
In this era of players resting for some strange reason, Semien was a true iron man. But we all know how things ended for Iron Man in the Marvel movies, and now Semien's streak is dead, too.
"He's been playing banged up. That's a pretty good collision out there in right field, and he knows it's time to try to get this thing cleared up, freshen up a little bit," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told MLB reporters. "This will get him a couple days."
The Rangers were off Thursday, so given that Semien skipped Wednesday's game, that will indeed give him two days away. Bochy said that the decision was mutual.
"We talked," Bochy said. "Now we've had conversations the last two or three days, Marcus was being Marcus then, but he agrees that it's a good time to take a day."
Per the Associated Press:
"Semien had been in the Rangers' starting lineup every game since May 13, 2022, which was during his first season with Texas after signing a $175 million, seven-year contract in free agency. His 349 consecutive games is the third-longest streak in franchise history.
"It was the first time since Bochy became the Rangers manager before the 2023 season that Semien wasn't at the top of his lineup. The second baseman had been in the leadoff spot for Bochy in 234 consecutive games, 217 in the regular season and 17 last postseason on way to their first World Series championship."
