Marcus Semien might not be in his hometown playing for the Athletics anymore, but the Bay Area always will hold a special place in his heart.
That includes Oakland and the A's organization.
As the team works toward relocating from the East Bay to Las Vegas, the former A's shortstop, who now plays with the Texas Rangers, weighed in on the potential move.
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"I won't believe that they're moving until they're actually gone," Semien said Monday before the Rangers-A's three-game series at the Coliseum. "I'm an East Bay resident, the A's mean a lot to this community. The A's are a reason I wanted to play baseball.
"I got to come here and watch Major League Baseball, just hop on BART and sit in left field and watch the best of the best play. Them being in the Bay Area is a reason I'm here."
Semien played in Oakland from 2015 to 2020, with his best season in 2019 when he hit .285/.369/.522 with 33 home runs and 92 RBIs. That same season, he finished third in AL MVP award voting.
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His success continued after leaving the Bay. Semien shined with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021 before landing in Texas the following season on a seven-year deal. Semien isn't the only beloved Bay Area baseball tie that the Rangers have.
Former Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who helped lead San Francisco to three World Series titles, came out of his three-year retirement to become the Rangers manager in 2023. Bochy, too, addressed the possible relocation and hopes the City of Oakland won't stop fighting.
"I hope they keep trying," he said. "I loved my time that I had here. The exciting games that we played here. I feel for the fans."
The A's are far from done in their efforts to move to Sin City. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the paperwork for the official relocation process is underway, but there still are some steps remaining, starting with a 75 percent approval rate from league owners.
Until then, voices around the league will continue to speak on the controversial situation.
