Semien named Heart & Hustle Award winner

ARLINGTON -- From Opening Day through the final out of the World Series, Marcus Semien was a constant for the Rangers. Texas played 179 total games in 2023, and Semien started all of them, each as the team’s leadoff hitter and second baseman.

Semien -- who teammates call "Cap" -- was recognized for his grit, determination and hard work on Friday, when the MLB Players Alumni Association named him the 2023 winner of the Heart & Hustle Award, presented annually to an active player who demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of the game.

Semien is known -- not just in the Rangers' clubhouse, but throughout the league -- for his consistent routine and his remarkable focus. He shows up to the ballpark and does the same thing every day to get himself ready to compete.

Semien’s natural leadership and desire to post up each and every day earned him the Heart & Hustle Award. Past winners include names like Mookie Betts, Albert Pujols and Craig Biggio.

Semien, who joined the Rangers on a seven-year, $175 million contract in December 2021, finished the 2023 regular season with 29 homers, 100 RBIs, an AL-leading 122 runs scored, 14 steals and an .826 OPS. He finished third in AL MVP voting.

He then helped Texas come back from a 3-2 American League Championship Series deficit against the Astros and defeat the D-backs four games to one in the World Series. Semien hit safely in each of the Rangers’ final seven playoff games and homered in Games 4 and 5 of the Fall Classic as the Rangers won it all.

All told, Semien made 835 plate appearances between the regular season and postseason, setting a single-year MLB record. He became the first Ranger to win the Heart & Hustle Award, which was established in 2005.

In addition to his work on the field, Semien has been active in the DFW community and working to grow the game of baseball since he joined the club in 2021. He’s been an active participant with both the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and the Texas Rangers Youth Academy in West Dallas.

Over the summer, he and his family partnered with the Foundation to provide meals to Youth Academy families through non-profit organization Food for the Soul. The 10-week program included over 1500 boxes of fresh produce and non-perishables for families in need.

He also donated over $5,000 worth of equipment to Rangers RBI senior baseball team at the Youth Academy during the 2023 Nike RBI Southwest Regional Tournament.

“He's a pillar of this organization,” Corey Seager said of Semien during the World Series. “It's how we want to go about our business. He goes about it every day, works hard. He doesn't need to be the vocal leader. It's just by watching, you can learn from him and know everything you need to know about him.”

“He’s everything [to this organization] honestly,” utility man Josh H. Smith said.