WEST SACRAMENTO — When Corey Seager and Marcus Semien joined the Rangers in 2022 on deals totaling nearly half a billion dollars, they were meant to anchor the team’s middle infield for years. Since then, they’ve appeared together in over 80% of the club’s games—until now.
Friday night at Sutter Health Park marked just the second time since their arrival that the Rangers played a regular-season game without both Seager and Semien. The last time it happened? September 4, 2024.
This time around, Semien is sidelined with a fractured foot—his first IL stint since 2017—while Seager was just added to the injured list after undergoing an appendectomy.
“It’s rare to see a lineup without either of them,” said manager Bruce Bochy, who took over in 2023. “But we’ve got to manage it. The group has responded to adversity before, and I expect them to do the same now.”
And respond they did. The injury-depleted Rangers kicked off their series against the A’s with a 5-2 win, powered by home runs from Jonah Heim and Michael Helman. Rookie Jack Leiter turned in six strong innings, earning his third career quality start and his first on the road.
Helman, who continues to seize his moment, emphasized the team-first mentality. “It’s about taking advantage of every opportunity—getting on base, playing defense, doing the little things. Everyone’s locked in. One game, one inning, one pitch at a time.”
Seager and Semien’s absences are just part of a bigger problem. In the past 12 days, the Rangers have placed eight key players on the injured list, including Evan Carter, Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Jake Burger, Sam Haggerty, and Cole Winn.
Still, the team has been finding ways to fill the gaps and stay competitive.
“You definitely rally around each other when key guys go down—especially someone like Evo [Eovaldi],” said Leiter. “Even though he couldn’t travel, he sent me scouting notes on the A’s. He’s still in it with us.”
That kind of unity and grit has defined Bochy’s tenure in Texas. Despite injury setbacks, grueling travel, and a shaky Wild Card race, the Rangers have stayed afloat, winning six of their last seven and remaining above .500.
“They’ve handled it incredibly well,” Bochy said. “We’ve taken some hits, no doubt. But it’s about how you bounce back. That’s what we’re focused on—bringing that same fight and energy every night, no matter who’s in the lineup.”
