| Alcides Escobar | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Escobar with theWashington Nationals in 2022 | |
| Free agent | |
| Shortstop /Second baseman | |
| Born: (1986-12-16)December 16, 1986 (age 38) La Sabana, Venezuela | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: September 3, 2008, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
| NPB: June 19, 2020, for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows | |
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) | |
| Batting average | .258 |
| Hits | 1,486 |
| Home runs | 45 |
| Runs batted in | 478 |
| Stolen bases | 178 |
| NPB statistics (through 2020 season) | |
| Batting average | .273 |
| Home runs | 1 |
| Runs batted in | 30 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Alcides Escobar (Spanish:[alˈsiðeseskoˈβaɾ]) (born December 16, 1986) is aVenezuelan professionalbaseballinfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) with theMilwaukee Brewers,Kansas City Royals andWashington Nationals, and inNippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for theTokyo Yakult Swallows.
Escobar was born inLa Sabana, Venezuela. Escobar is cousin to pitchersEdwin Escobar andKelvim Escobar, as well as shortstopMaikel García and outfielderRonald Acuña Jr.[1] He is also the nephew of shortstopJosé Escobar.[2][3] Escobar began playing baseball when he was four years old, stating how he idolized fellow Venezuelan shortstopOmar Vizquel.[4]
On July 9, 2003 (at age 16), Escobar signed with theMilwaukee Brewers as an international free agent for $35,000.[4] Escobar made his professional debut in 2004 with the rookie-levelHelena Brewers. In 2005, he played for the Single-AWest Virginia Power, batting .271/.305/.362 with 2 home runs and 36 RBI. The following season, Escobar slashed .257/.296/.306 in 87 games for the High-ABrevard County Manatees. In 2007, he split time between Single-A and Double-A, playing 63 games for Brevard County in theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League and 62 games for theDouble-AHuntsville Stars of theSouthern League. Hebatted a combined .306 with onehome run and 53runs batted in.[5]
In 2008, Escobar played mostly for Huntsville. On September 1, 2008 (when rosters expanded), Escobar was called up to the Majors for the first time, and made his debut two days later as a defensive replacement atshortstop. He picked up his first careerhit in his firstat bat in the same game, asingle against pitcherScott Schoeneweis of theNew York Mets.[3][6]
Before the 2009 season,Baseball America rated Escobar the 19th best prospect in baseball.[7] In 2009, Escobar appeared in theAll-Star Futures Game as the starting shortstop for the World team. During the game, he went 2-for-4 and scored the go-ahead run.[8] On August 12, Escobar was called up to the Brewers from theTriple-ANashville Sounds to replaceJ. J. Hardy, who had been optioned down. He made his first major league appearance of the season that night, pinch running forPrince Fielder in the bottom of the 9th inning against theSan Diego Padres. Escobarstole second base, his first stolen base of his career.[9][10]
After the end of the 2009 season, the Brewers traded Hardy to theMinnesota Twins, making Escobar the startingshortstop for the Brewers in 2010. Prior to the 2010 season,Baseball America rated Escobar as the best prospect in baseball.[11]
On December 18, 2010, the Brewers traded Escobar,Lorenzo Cain,Jeremy Jeffress andJake Odorizzi to theKansas City Royals forZack Greinke andYuniesky Betancourt.[12] In 2011 he batted .254/.290/.343 with 4 home runs and 46 RBI in 158 games.[3]
On March 15, 2012, Escobar signed a four-year, $10 million extension through 2015 with club options for 2016 and 2017 with the Royals. If both options were exercised, Escobar could earn $21.75 million. Escobar, who was slated to earn $519,500 in 2012, would instead earn $1 million in 2012 and $3 million a year from 2013 to 2015. His 2016 option was worth $5.25 million and had a $500,000buyout. His 2017 option was worth $6.5 million and had a $500,000 buyout.[13] The extension covered his final pre-arbitration season and his three arbitration-eligible seasons. The club options covered his first year of free agency.[14]
In 2013, Escobar batted .234/.259/.300, and his .259 on base percentage was the lowest of all qualified MLB batters.[15] His .300 slugging percentage was also the lowest among all qualified batters in MLB.[16] In 2014, Escobar (along withEvan Longoria,Hunter Pence andFreddie Freeman) was one of the only players in the MLB to start in all 162 regular season games for their respective teams.[17] He finished the season hitting .285, with 74 runs scored, 50 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases.[18]
In 2015, Escobar batted .257/.293/.320. He led the majors in with 11sacrifice hits.[19] His .320slugging percentage was the lowest of all qualified major league batters.[20] He also had the lowestISO (isolated power) of all MLB players in 2015, at .064.[21]
During the2015 ALCS, Escobar set a postseason record by getting a lead-off hit in four consecutive games. He was selected as the2015 ALCS MVP as he batted .478 in the series.[22] In Game 1 of the2015 World Series, Escobar hit aninside-the-park home run on the first pitch thrown byNew York Mets pitcherMatt Harvey.[23] It was the first time a player had hit an inside-the-park home run in a World Series game since 1929. Escobar followed that with driving in two runs, and scoring once on two hits in Game 2.[24] In Game 5, Escobar hit a double in the 12th inning, allowingChristian Colon to score and help the Royals defeat the Mets 7–2 in 12 innings, making the 2015 Kansas City Royals World Series Champions. In the 2015 postseason, Escobar hit .329 in 70 at bats. He had 23 hits including four doubles and three triples, 13 runs scored and 9 RBI.[25] He received the 2015 ALRawlingsGold Glove Award for shortstops.[26]
In 2016, he batted .261/.292/.350. He again led the majors in sacrifice hits, with 10.[27] On June 3, Escobar got his 1000th career Major League hit againstCleveland Indians pitcherDanny Salazar.[28] On October 10, 2016, the Royals exercised Escobar's 2017 option. The Royals paid him $6.5 million in 2017.[citation needed] He batted .250/.272/.357 in 599 at bats, and shared the major league lead with 7 sacrifice hits.[29] His .272 on base percentage was the lowest, and his .357 slugging percentage was the third-lowest, among all qualified batters in MLB.[30] He stole four bases, but was caught seven times.[3]
On January 29, 2018, Escobar re-signed with the Royals with a one-year, $2.5 million deal.[31] In 2018, he batted .231 (a career low)/.279/.313.[3] His .313 slugging percentage was the second-lowest among all qualified batters in MLB.[32]
On February 16, 2019, Escobar signed a minor-league contract with theBaltimore Orioles which included an invitation tospring training.[33] On March 20, 2019, Escobar was granted his outright release from the Orioles.[34]
On March 22, 2019, Escobar signed a minor league deal with theChicago White Sox.[35] He was assigned to the Triple-ACharlotte Knights to begin the year. After hitting .286/.343/.444 with 10 home runs and 70 RBI, Escobar was released by the organization on August 2.[36]
On October 30, 2019, Escobar signed with theTokyo Yakult Swallows ofNippon Professional Baseball (NPB).[37][38] On January 31, 2020, he held a press conference withGabriel Ynoa andMatt Koch.[39]
On June 19, he made his NPB debut. On July 15, Escobar hit his first career NPB home run offHanshin Tigers pitcherOnelki García.[40] In 104 games with Yakult, Escobar slashed .273/.312/.329 with 1 home run and 30 RBI. On November 23, 2020, he became a free agent.[41]
On May 4, 2021, Escobar signed a minor league contract with theKansas City Royals organization and was assigned to the Triple-AOmaha Storm Chasers.[42][43] In 35 games with Omaha, Escobar posted a .274/.311/.452 slash with 5 home runs and 16 RBI.
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On July 2, 2021, Escobar was traded to theWashington Nationals in exchange for cash considerations.[44] He was selected to the active roster on July 3.[45] On July 18, Escobar hit his first major-league home run since the 2018 season against theSan Diego Padres to pull the Nationals within one run in the eighth inning, and hit a walk-off single in the ninth to lead them to an 8–7 victory.[46]
Escobar finished out the2021 season with the Nationals batting .288/.340/.404, his best totals since 2012. He then signed a one-year contract extension through the2022 season on October 5, 2021.[47] In 2021, he had the lowest averageexit velocity of all major league batters, at 81.7 mph.[48]
Escobar made his pitching debut against thePhiladelphia Phillies, tossing a scoreless inning in the bottom of the 8th on July 5, 2022.[49][50]
On August 3, 2022, Escobar was placed on unconditional release waivers.[51] He had appeared in 40 games for Washington, slashing .218/.260/.282 with no home runs and 8 RBI.
On March 1, 2023, Escobar signed with theLeones de Yucatán of theMexican League.[52] In 55 games, he batted .240/.296/.299 with 1 home run and 17 RBIs. Escobar was waived on July 3.[53]
On July 9, 2023, Escobar signed with theAcereros de Monclova of theMexican League.[54] In 26 games for Monclova, he batted .330/.368/.523 with 5 home runs and 17 RBI.[55]
On February 15, 2024, Escobar signed with theTigres de Quintana Roo of theMexican League.[56] In 77 games for the Tigres, he batted .271/.320/.387 with five home runs, 32 RBI, and four stolen bases. Escobar was released by Quintana Roo on December 9.[57]
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Media related toAlcides Escobar at Wikimedia Commons