Just over six months after he was connected to the Philadelphia Phillies as a free-agent target, Marcus Semien is slated to start for the American League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
Granted, Semien – who ultimately signed a one-year/18 million deal – has played second base for the Toronto Blue Jays, as opposed to his natural position of shortstop, where the Phillies likely would have slotted him in at.
Still, Jim Bowden of The Athletic reported in mid-January that the Phillies were among a trio of teams who had been involved in Semien’s free-agent market, and with the benefit of hindsight, they probably would have been better served signing Semien to a one-year/$18 million deal, as opposed to re-signing Didi Gregorius for two years and $28 million.