Entering the month of July, Marcus Semien started 83 of 84 possible games for the Rangers, batting leadoff and playing second base in each contest. His four leadoff home runs over that span were tied for second in the Major Leagues, while his 44 RBI were second most among American League leadoff men to only Baltimore¡¯s Gunnar Henderson (56). Defensively, the 33-year-old registered a Major League-leading 13 Outs Above Average figure (Statcast) and 11 Defensive Runs Saved (Sports Info Solutions), which matched Seattle¡¯s Cal Raleigh for the most on the Junior Circuit over the season¡¯s first three months.
Marcus was selected to the American League roster via player voting for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game. It was his second straight selection and the third All-Star nod of his career (2023-24 with Texas, 2021 with Toronto), joining Julio Franco (3), Ian Kinsler (3) and Alfonso Soriano (2) as the only players in Rangers history (established in 1972) to earn multiple Midsummer Classic selections at second base. Marcus has received the MLBPAA Heart and Hustle Award for the fifth time having Major League alumni¡¯s utmost respect.
Off the field since joining the Rangers, Marcus has become involved with the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and the Texas Rangers Youth Academy. He serves as a role model for the young athletes, each coming from diverse backgrounds. He encourages them to work hard despite the adversity they might face in daily life. He has participated in the annual Thanksgiving distribution which has donated more than 200 Thanksgiving dinners to local families surrounding the Youth Academy since 2022.
He attended the Rangers Foundation¡¯s MLK Day of Service in January 2023, which included a food distribution and Equip the Future program for 50 Texas Rangers Youth Academy athletes. For Jackie Robinson Day in Houston, Marcus and fellow Rangers teamed up with the Astros to mentor young athletes, this time from the Astros Youth Academy and Houston-area high schools.
Marcus and his wife Tarah have underwritten ¡°The Semien Family Food Distribution¡± in 2023 and 2024, partnering with the nonprofit Food for the Soul, providing more than 1,500 boxes of fresh produce and shelf-stable goods for the summer months to Academy athletes participating in baseball and softball programming to support their nutrition.
He has served for two years as the Nike RBI Ambassador Program, meeting with youth athletes competing in the Nike RBI Regionals, giving them tips and encouragement before their tournaments, and helping secure a $5,000 grant each year for equipment for the Academy. Additionally, Marcus has participated in two Equip the Future? events with The Players Alliance, which creates mentorship opportunities for baseball and softball players to gain insight from current and former professional players on how to be successful in the game and become better prepared for challenges faced on and off the field.
Since December 2020, Marcus and his father, Damien Semien, have actively engaged with parents and student-athletes by participating in monthly town hall meetings and educational modules hosted on the Ethos Village digital platform. Topics covered have included the following: financial literacy, entrepreneurship, social media, relationships and mental wellness. In addition, Marcus is hosting an Ethos Workshop at Globe Life Field this season. Ethos Village offers a curriculum-based and customizable character development program designed to improve the educational experience by redefining success through a firm understanding of identity and self-value to build a foundation for good thoughts, good decisions and big dreams.