Marcus Semien can’t get to balls like he used to. In fact, he’s not getting to them as regularly as an average MLB second baseman. His range factor per nine innings, according to baseball reference, is 4.10 and the league average is 4.17.  

Semien is in a George Foster decline. He’s been falling off that cliff for a few seasons now, and the Mets are on the hook until 2029 at an average salary of 25 million a season. There’s no metric that can hide his play and his declining power numbers. 

According to Empire sports media, outs above average, is –6 compared to +7 last season. You can make an argument that he shouldn’t be a starter for the Mets next season, but right now, they’re stuck. 

Semien’s DRS is performing at replacement level. So what are the Mets to do? He’s turning 36 soon. Is he a platoon player next year? If not next year, it will be after that. Is he a DH and part-time second baseman?  

Stearns won’t answer this at season’s end. But he has to know; he is stuck with this player, and no team is taking that contract, and nobody wants him as a second baseman.