*Photo from Brew Crew Ball*
Usually the type of team to sit out of the early offseason signings, the New York Mets are looking to change things up, so they got active early. The Mets and utility infielder Eduardo Escobar have agreed to a two year, $20 million deal, with an option for a 3rd year, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. The Mets have not yet confirmed the deal.
The Mets signing of Escobar is an important one, as he brings incredible versatility to the Mets roster, giving whoever their manager will be next season a plethora of places to use Escobar. He's played all over the infield, having played 3rd base, second base, and shortstop his whole career, while picking up first base last season, after a trade to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Last season, Escobar was with the Brewers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2021, he posted a .253 batting average with a .786 OPS, hitting 28 home runs and 90 RBI's, playing in 146 regular season games, earning his first career all star game selection in his 11 year playing career. He added 26 doubles and 5 triples last season, and even picked up one stolen base.
Across his 11 seasons in the major leagues, Escobar has a career batting average of .256, with a .745 OPS, hitting 138 home runs and driving in 536 runs, posting a .436 slugging percentage in 1,128 regular season games. In 5 career postseason games, Escobar has 5 hits in 14 at bats, making the postseason in 2017 and 2021.
Escobar joins the Mets having already played for plenty of teams, the Mets being the 5th he'll suit up for in his career. He spent 1 1/2 seasons with the Chicago White Sox at the start of his career, before he was traded during the 2012 season to the Minnesota Twins, where he spent the next 6 seasons. In the middle of the 2018 season, he was sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he stayed until the 2021 trade deadline, when he went to the Brewers.
The signing of Escobar likely provides infield depth and insurance in the event that Javier Baez isn't re-signed by the Mets. He'll also likely replace Jonathan Villar as the team's utility infielder, given the fact that Escobar has played everywhere in the infield. He could also draw starts at DH if it goes to the NL for the 2022 season, or he could start at second base to give Robinson Cano the chance to start at DH.
The Mets have good position player depth on their roster, as new GM Billy Eppler and the front office turn their eyes to pitching, both starting and relief pitching. The Mets are reportedly interested in two of the top starters on the market in Robbie Ray and Kevin Gausman.
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