The one reason NY Mets fans should live with Marcus Semien's struggles

Marcus Semien has not exactly made this easy. The numbers are what they are, the swings have not always inspired confidence, and there have been plenty of nights where New York Mets fans are left staring at the box score, wondering when it is going to look different. It has felt like a grind at times, and not the productive kind.

Here is where it gets tricky. You can sit there and pick apart the stat line, the at-bats, even the defense, and none of it would be wrong. Mets fans have done plenty of that already. But there is a reason this has not turned into a full “get him out of here” situation. Something keeps popping up at the exact times that make you stop, even if you do not want to admit it right away. Just when you are ready to be done with him, he gives you that one moment that makes you roll your eyes and say, yeah… of course.

Mets fans may hate it, but Marcus Semien’s RISP numbers change everything

Heading into Saturday's game against the Angels, Semien’s defense has settled in closer to average. He’s been fine, but “fine” feels like a step down when you watched a Gold Glove season last year. He sits at -1 DRS and 0 OAA right now after posting a +5 DRS and +7 OAA in 2025. That is not a disaster, but it is not exactly locking things down either. It is more shrug than standout.

The bat has been the real frustration. This is not close to the production anyone had in mind. Forget the peak seasons from a few years ago. Even his 2024 numbers, .237/.308/.391 with 23 homers and 74 RBIs would feel like a gift right now. Instead, this season he is sitting at .220/.273/.288 with one homer and 11 RBIs. That is a lot of soft contact and quick at-bats that put him right back in the dugout.

When there are runners on, it suddenly becomes a different conversation. Heading into this game, Semien is hitting .343 in 35 at-bats with runners in scoring position, with 12 of his 26 hits coming in those spots. The Mets, meanwhile, have been awful there, sitting 28th in baseball with a .229 average with RISP heading into Saturday’s game. So yeah, the guy frustrating you most nights is suddenly the one you are watching through your fingers, thinking, just find a way to get it done.

You can complain about everything else and still admit what it feels like when he comes up with runners on. The power is missing, the consistency is not there, and the defense is just okay. Nobody is pretending otherwise. But when there are runners out there and a chance to actually cash in, he has been one of the only ones stepping up on a team that has struggled badly in those spots.

You do not have to like him right now. You probably do not. But if the game is on the line and there are runners out there, you are still hoping it is his turn. That says everything.

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