| Eduardo Escobar | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Escobar with theNew York Mets in 2023 | |
| Centauros de La Guaira – No. 5 | |
| Infielder | |
| Born: (1989-01-05)January 5, 1989 (age 37) Villa de Cura,Venezuela | |
Bats: Switch Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 2, 2011, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| MLB statistics (through 2023 season) | |
| Batting average | .253 |
| Hits | 1,185 |
| Home runs | 164 |
| Runs batted in | 636 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Eduardo José Escobar (born January 5, 1989) is a Venezuelan-American professionalbaseballthird baseman for the Centauros de La Guaira of theVenezuelan Major League. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theChicago White Sox,Minnesota Twins,Arizona Diamondbacks,Milwaukee Brewers,New York Mets, andLos Angeles Angels.
Escobar grew up in the neighborhood of La Pica in Palo Negro in theVenezuelan state ofAragua 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 theeighth grade.[2]
Escobar was a September call-up in 2011, playing in nine games and had twohits in sevenat bats. In 2012, Escobar made the 25-man roster out ofspring training as autility infielder. In his first 97plate appearances of 2012, Escobar had a .207batting average with threeruns batted in (RBIs).
On July 28, 2012, Escobar was traded to theMinnesota Twins withPedro Hernández forFrancisco 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 ofPhil Coke that lifted the Twins past theDetroit Tigers, 3–2, to its first win of the 2013 season.[4] On April 9, Escobar hit his first career home run in the top of the 5th inning off ofJeremy Guthrie of theKansas City Royals. Playing 66 games in 2013, Escobar batted .236 with three home runs, and 10 RBIs.
In 2014, Escobar batted .275 and hit six home runs with 37 RBIs in 133 games. In 2015, he played 127 games batting .262 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs. In 2016, he played 105 games batting .236 with 6 home runs and 37 RBIs.
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.
On July 27, 2018, Escobar was traded to theArizona 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 Diamondbacks and earning a trip to the2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
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On July 28, 2021, Escobar was traded to theMilwaukee Brewers in exchange forCooper Hummel and Alberto Ciprian.[9] On October 2, Escobar collected his 1,000th hit.[10]
On December 1, 2021, Escobar signed a two-year, $20 million contract with theNew York Mets.[11]
On June 6, 2022, Escobarhit for the cycle in an 11–5 win over theSan Diego Padres, becoming the 11th player in Mets history to accomplish the feat, and the first sinceScott Hairston in 2012.[12] He also became the first player to hit for the cycle atPetco Park.[12] Escobar was namedNational League Payer of the Month for September, after slashing .340/.393/.650 with 8 home runs, 4 doubles, and 24 RBI across 26 games that month. It was the first time he earned Player of the Month in his career.[13] Escobar played in 136 games for the Mets in 2022, batting .240/.295/.430 with 20 home runs and 69 RBI.
On October 7, 2022, Escobar hit the first and only postseason home run of his career, a solo shot to center field off ofYu Darvish of theSan Diego Padres in Game 1 of theNL Wild Card Series.[14]
On June 23, 2023, the Mets traded Escobar to theLos Angeles Angels for pitching prospectsLandon Marceaux andColeman Crow.[15] He was acquired by the team in the wake of several injuries to its infielders, including third basemenAnthony Rendon andGio Urshela.[16] Escobar made his team debut on June 24 against theColorado Rockies atCoors Field, going 2-for-4 at the plate with a walk, RBI, and four runs scored before being substituted in the fifth inning of a 25–1blowout win.[17] On June 26, he was away from the team to take theAmerican Civics Test forU.S. citizenship.[18] Between the Mets and Angels, Escobar finished the 2023 season batting .226 with six home runs and 31 RBIs in 99 games. On November 3, the Angels declined the $9 million team option on Escobar's contract, making him a free agent.[19]
On February 16, 2024, Escobar signed a minor league contract with theToronto Blue Jays.[20] He was released by Toronto on March 22, after being informed that he would not make theOpening Day roster.[21]
In 2025, Escobar signed with the Centauros de La Guaira of theVenezuelan Major League.
Escobar owns a home inMiami and resides there in the offseason with his wife and five children.[22] As of June 2021[update], his family was living with him inArizona. He had four boys and a daughter. As of 2021, the oldest, his daughter, was 17 years old and the youngest was six years old.[1]
Escobar isafraid of cats. During his time with theArizona Diamondbacks, teammates pranked him by startling him with astuffed cat which gradually became the team's good luck charm.[23]
Escobar frequents theBrazilian steakhouse chainFogo de Chão. He has taken teammates and team employees to different locations throughout the country.[24] While with theMinnesota Twins in 2018, he told reporters that his power at the plate came from "a lot of Fogo de Chão."[25] TheMilwaukee Journal Sentinel reported in 2021 that Escobar would shout "Fogo power" after hitting home runs.[26] On the tenth anniversary of his major league debut, the business donated $10,000 to his charity in the form of an oversized check.[24]
In June 2023, Escobar became a U.S. citizen.[27]
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Hitting for the cycle June 6, 2022 | Succeeded by |
