The New York Mets have reportedly signed 32-year-old infielder Eduardo Escobar to a two-year deal worth $20 million. It also reportedly includes a club option for 2024. Escobar, an 11-year veteran, has played with a number of teams through the years, most recently with the Milwaukee Brewers after being traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Escobar is primarily a third baseman but can also fill in at shortstop and second base. His career slash line is a respectable .256/.309/.436. Escobar seems to be a replacement for Jonathan Villar, who filled in for an injured J.D. Davis numerous times throughout the 2021 season. If Escobar can be as effective as Villar was for the Mets, New York will be in good shape.
How Escobar Affects the Mets
This gives the Mets some much-needed depth in the infield. The real question is if Escobar will be starting or not. J.D. Davis is still a Met, and that might change now that the Mets have Escobar. It’s no secret that Davis has had many fielding issues at third base. With the DH rumored to be coming to the National League, more teams could be interested in Davis. Whether the Mets are interested in moving Davis is still up in the air, but it is certainly a much bigger possibility now.
Regardless, Escobar is valuable to have. He’s proved in his 11 years in the big leagues that he’s reliable in the infield and is a good bat in the lineup. He was also proficient at doing something the Mets have struggled at doing for some time now — driving in runs. He had 90 RBI last year, more than any hitter on the Mets roster in 2021 not named Pete Alonso. That alone should show you the value he’s bringing to the Metropolitans. In what will certainly be a very busy offseason for New York, Escobar is a small yet important addition to the team.
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