Why Marcus Semien is most to blame for Mets' disastrous start to 2026 season

# Why Marcus Semien is most to blame for Mets’ disastrous start to 2026 season

Marcus Semien's OPS, one home run, and brutal RISP failures make him the top reason for the Mets' dreadful 2026 collapse.

Garrett Kerman

Apr 30, 2026 at 10:42 AM ET

The New York Mets entered 2026 with playoff ambitions, a revamped lineup, and legitimate NL East aspirations. Instead, after 30 games, they have a terrible 10-20 record, are in last place in the NL East, and are a shocking 11.5 games behind the Braves, who are in first place in the division. Juan Soto's injury history to start the season hasn't help, and Bo Bichette hasn't been very good either. But when you look at the whole picture, the cost of the trade, the size of the contract, and the player's performance on the field, one player stands out as the biggest reason why this Mets team is sinking: Marcus Semien.

Acquired this past offseason in a blockbuster trade that sent beloved outfielder Brandon Nimmo to Texas, Semien arrived in Queens as the centerpiece of New York's offensive rebuild. He has three years and $72 million still remaining on his seven-year, $175 million contract. That is an astronomical sum for a player who has been, by every measurable standard, one of the worst hitters in baseball so far in 2026.

## The Numbers Don't Lie — Marcus Semien is Historically Bad

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Semien has a terrible .566 OPS and is hitting .226/.284/.302 in 30 games. That OPS puts him outside the top 150 qualifying hitters in all of baseball. The Mets are already 29th in runs scored this season with only 102. Their No. 2 hole hitter is hitting less than .600 OPS is an anchor that pulls the whole lineup down.

The .291 slugging percentage is especially bad; Semien has only hit one home run and driven in nine runs in 30 games. The Mets got him hoping to get at least a hint of the player who hit .276/.348/.478 with 29 home run