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Eduardo Escobar

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Eduardo Escobar
Escobar with the Mets in 2022
New York Mets – No. 10
Third baseman
Born: (1989-01-05) January 5, 1989 (age 35)
Villa de Cura, Venezuela
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 2, 2011, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
(through August 27, 2022)
Batting average.252
Hits1,082
Home runs150
Runs batted in580
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Eduardo José Escobar (born January 5, 1989) is a Venezuelan professional baseball third baseman for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers.

Early life

Escobar grew up in the neighborhood of La Pica in Villa de Cura in the Venezuelan state of Aragua with his four siblings.[1] They were raised by a single mother. Escobar began working a job at seven years old and was only able to get an education through the eighth grade.[2]

Professional career

Chicago White Sox

Escobar was a September call-up in 2011, playing in nine games and had two hits in seven at bats. In 2012, Escobar made the 25-man roster out of spring training as a utility infielder. In his first 97 plate appearances of 2012, Escobar had a .207 batting average with three runs batted in (RBIs).[citation needed]

Minnesota Twins

Escobar with the Twins in 2013

On July 28, 2012, Escobar was traded to the Minnesota Twins with Pedro Hernández for Francisco Liriano.[3] In 49 more plate appearances, Escobar batted .227 with six RBIs. Overall in 2012, Escobar had 146 total plate appearances with a .214 average and nine RBIs.

On April 3, 2013, Escobar hit a walk-off 2-run double off of Phil Coke that lifted the Twins past the Detroit Tigers, 3-2, to its first win of the 2013 season.[4] On April 9, 2013, Escobar hit his first career home run in the top of the 5th inning off of Jeremy Guthrie of the Kansas City Royals. Playing 66 games in 2013, Escobar batted .236 with three home runs, and 10 RBIs.[citation needed]

In 2014, Escobar batted .275 and hit six home runs with 37 RBIs in 133 games. In 2015, Escobar played 127 games batting .262 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs. In 2016, Escobar played 105 games batting .236 with 6 home runs and 37 RBIs.[citation needed]

On May 7, 2016, Escobar was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a left groin strain. He avoided salary arbitration with the Twins on December 3, 2016, by agreeing to a one-year, $2.6 million contract for the 2017 season.[5] In 2017, Escobar batted .254 and set career highs with 21 home runs and 73 RBIs.[citation needed]

Arizona Diamondbacks

On July 27, 2018, Escobar was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor leaguers Gabriel Maciel, Jhoan Durán, and Ernie De La Trinidad.[6] He had the highest fielding percentage among major league third basemen, at .983.[7]

On October 23, 2018, the Diamondbacks signed Escobar to a three-year contract worth a reported $21 million.[8] In the 2019 season, he hit 35 home runs and 118 RBIs, batting .269/.320/.511. He also led the majors with 10 triples. In 2020, Escobar struggled offensively throughout the shortened MLB season, hitting just .212 with four home runs and 20 RBIs. Escobar bounced back strongly in 2021, posting a .246 average with 22 home runs and 65 RBI’s in 98 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks and earning a trip to the 2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Milwaukee Brewers

Escobar with the Mets in 2022

On July 28, 2021, Escobar was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Cooper Hummel and Alberto Ciprian.[9] On October 2, 2021, Escobar collected his 1,000th hit.[10]

New York Mets

On December 1, 2021, Escobar signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the New York Mets.[11]

On June 6, 2022, Escobar hit for the cycle in an 11–5 win over the San Diego Padres, becoming the 11th player in Mets history to accomplish the feat, and the first since Scott Hairston in 2012.[12] He also became the first player to hit for the cycle at Petco Park.[12]

Personal life

Escobar owns a home in Miami and resides there in the offseason with his wife and five children.[13] As of June 2021, his family was living with him in Arizona. He has four boys and a daughter. The oldest, his daughter, was 17 years old and the youngest was six years old.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Father's Day Q&A with Diamondbacks Eduardo Escobar". North Phoenix Family Magazine. 1 June 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  2. ^ Vernon, Brady (25 June 2019). "Diamondbacks third baseman Eduardo Escobar driven to give back". Arizona Sports. KMVP-FM. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  3. ^ Smith, Matthew (July 29, 2012). "Chicago White Sox Acquire Francisco Liriano from Minnesota Twins". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  4. ^ "Tigers 2, Twins 3 (Final Score)". MLB Gameday. April 3, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  5. ^ Adams, Steve; Todd, Jeff (December 3, 2016). "Players Avoiding Arbitration: Friday". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
  6. ^ Kelly, Matt. "D-backs acquire doubles machine Escobar". Mlb.com. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  7. ^ Major League Leaderboards » 2018 » Third Basemen » Fielding Statistics FanGraphs Baseball
  8. ^ "Escobar agrees to 3-year deal to stay in Arizona". Espn.com. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Brewers pick up veteran Escobar from D-backs". 29 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Milwaukee Brewers infielder Eduardo Escobar reaches 1,000 career hits".
  11. ^ DiComo, Anthony (November 26, 2021). "Mets Add Versatile Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha". Major League Baseball.
  12. ^ a b DiComo, Anthony (June 6, 2022). "Escobar first Met to hit for cycle in 10 years". Major League Baseball. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  13. ^ "Twins' Eduardo Escobar pursues his American dream". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
Achievements
Preceded by Hitting for the cycle
June 6, 2022
Succeeded by