ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien had a day off for the first time in more than two years Wednesday when he was not in the lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks, ending his streak of 349 games started .
Manager Bruce Bochy said Semien had been sore since an outfield collision with right fielder Adolis Garcia on May 18. The second baseman had played in all eight games since then, and was on a 1-for-20 streak over the last five games.
“He's been playing banged up. That's a pretty good collision in right field, and he knows it's time to try to clear this up, cool off a little bit,” Bochy said. “This will give you a couple of days.”
The Rangers have a day off Thursday before opening a weekend series in Miami. Bochy said he would not use Semien as a pinch-hitter or in any capacity Wednesday against the Diamondbacks.
“You don't need to bring your nails here,” Bochy said. “I don't want him to rock. I want him to take a full day off.”
Semien was running and Garcia came in with a fly ball to shallow right field in the sixth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels. Semien collided with Garcia, who had gotten up and knelt to retrieve the ball after he fell to the ground. Semien suffered a heavy fall, although both players stayed and finished off the Rangers' 3-2 victory in 13 innings.
García was removed from the starting lineup the next day due to right forearm soreness.
Bochy said Wednesday that Semien was hit in the head and neck area in that collision and still had stiffness in his upper back. Semien is hitting .249 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 55 games this season.
Travis Jankowski was on the Rangers' leadoff spot at designated hitter against Arizona. Ezequiel Durán was on second base batting ninth.
Semien had been in the Rangers' starting lineup in every game since May 13, 2022, which was during his first season with Texas after signing a seven-year, $175 million contract in free agency. His 349 consecutive games is the third-longest streak in franchise history.
It was the first time since Bochy became Rangers coach ahead of the 2023 season that Semien was not at the top of his lineup. The second baseman had been Bochy's leadoff hitter in 234 consecutive games, 217 in the regular season and 17 in the last postseason en route to his first World Series championship.
“It was mutual. We talked,” Bochy said. “We've had conversations over the last two or three days, Marcus was being Marcus then, but he agrees it's a good time to take a day.”
