Edwin José Escobar (born April 22, 1992) is a Venezuelan professionalbaseballpitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theBoston Red Sox andArizona Diamondbacks, and inNippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for theHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters andYokohama DeNA BayStars.

Edwin Escobar
Escobar with theYokohama DeNA BayStars
Oisix Niigata Albirex – No. 99
Pitcher
Born: (1992-04-22)April 22, 1992 (age 33) La Sabana,Venezuela
Bats: Left Throws: Left
Professional debut
MLB: August 27, 2014, for the Boston Red Sox
NPB: April 2, 2017, for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
MLB statistics (through 2016 season)
Win–loss record	1–2
Earned run average	7.01
Strikeouts	19
NPB statistics (through 2023 season)
Win–loss record	22–23
Earned run average	3.17
Strikeouts	383
Saves	5
Holds	147
Stats atBaseball Reference
Teams
Boston Red Sox (2014) Arizona Diamondbacks (2016) Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2017) Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2017–2023)

TheTexas Rangers signed Escobar as an internationalfree agent in 2008.^[1] He made his professional debut with the rookie-levelArizona League Rangers in 2009, logging a 2–5 record and 5.00 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 13 games.

On April 1, 2010, Escobar was traded to theSan Francisco Giants in exchange for minor leaguer Ben Snyder.^[2] He spent the season with the Low-ASalem-Keizer Volcanoes, pitching to a 2–4 record, a 4.86 ERA, and 69 strikeouts in 14 games. The next year, Escobar split the season between the rookie-levelArizona League Giants and the Single-AAugusta GreenJackets, accumulating a 3–7 record and 6.58 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 52 innings of work. In 2012, he returned to Augusta, pitching to a 7–8 record and 2.96 ERA with 122 strikeouts in130+2⁄3 innings pitched.^[3]

The Giants added Escobar to their40-man roster after the 2012 season, in order to protect him from theRule 5 draft.^[4] He split the 2013 season between the High-ASan Jose Giants and the Double-ARichmond Flying Squirrels, posting a 8–8 record and 2.80 ERA with 146 strikeouts in 26 games (24 starts) split between the two affiliates. He began the 2014 season with the Triple-AFresno Grizzlies, and logged a 3–8 record and 5.11 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 20 games.^[5][6]

The Giants traded Escobar andHeath Hembree to theBoston Red Sox in exchange forJake Peavy on July 26, 2014.^[7] He was called up to the Red Sox on August 10,^[8] and returned to the Triple-APawtucket Red Sox the next day. Escobar was recalled on August 27,^[9] and pitched a scoreless 8th inning in his Major League debut in Toronto against theToronto Blue Jays. He finished his rookie season with a 4.50 ERA and 2 strikeouts in 2 appearances. In 2015, Escobar spent the majority of the season in Triple-A Pawtucket, also playing in 1 game for the Single-AGreenville Drive, and pitched to a 3–3 record and 4.97 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 20 games. He was assigned to Pawtucket to begin the 2016 season. Escobar wasdesignated for assignment on April 20, 2016, to make room on the active roster forWilliam Cuevas.^[10]

On April 29, 2016, Escobar was claimed off waivers by theArizona Diamondbacks and optioned to the Triple-AReno Aces.^[11] The Diamondbacks promoted Escobar to the major leagues to make his first major league start on May 30.^[12] In 25 games for Arizona, Escobar recorded a 7.23 ERA with 17 strikeouts in23+2⁄3 innings pitched.

On November 18, 2016, theCleveland Indians claimed Escobar off waivers. Escobar was designated for assignment on January 5, 2017, to make room on the 40-man roster forEdwin Encarnación.^[13] He was released on January 10, to pursue a pitching opportunity in Japan.^[14]

On January 11, 2017, Escobar signed a one-year, $775,000 with theHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters ofNippon Professional Baseball.^[15][16] In 14 games for the Fighters, Escobar registered a 1-2 record and 5.64 ERA with 19 strikeouts in22+1⁄3 innings of work.

On July 7, 2017, Escobar was traded to theYokohama DeNA BayStars in exchange for catcherToshiki Kurobane. The BayStars re-signed him in the offseason to a one-year deal worth roughly $500,000.^[17] He finished the 2017 season with a 3.44 ERA and 33 strikeoutsin 27 games for the BayStars. In 2018, Escobar pitched in 53 games for the team, posting a 4–3 record and 3.57 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched.

Escobar agreed to another one-year contract with the BayStars for the 2019 season worth roughly $854,000. That season, Escobar pitched to a 5–4 record and 2.51 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 74 appearances. On November 18, 2019, Escobar signed an additional one-year extension, worth roughly $1.5 million, to remain with the BayStars.^[18] In 2020, Escobar logged a 1-4 record and 2.33 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched across 56 games.

On November 7, 2023, following the regular season, the BayStars announced that Escobar was no longer under contract with the team and that they would begin negotiations regarding a new contract. In 7 seasons in NPB, he had registered a 22-23 record and 3.17 ERA with 383 strikeouts across392+1⁄3 innings pitched.^[19]

On November 20, 2023, Escobar signed a minor league contract with theChicago Cubs.^[20] In 31 appearances for the Triple–AIowa Cubs, he recorded a 4.86 ERA with 47 strikeouts across46+1⁄3 innings pitched. Escobar was released by the Cubs organization on July 16, 2024.^[21]

On July 22, 2024, Escobar signed with theSultanes de Monterrey of theMexican League.^[22] In 4 games for Monterrey, he struggled to a 6.75 ERA with 5 strikeouts over 4 innings of work. Escobar was released by the Sultanes on March 3, 2025.^[23]

Escobar is son of shortstopJosé Escobar, as well as cousin of outfielderRonald Acuña Jr., infieldersLuisangel Acuña andAlcides Escobar, and pitchersKelvim Escobar andVicente Campos.^[24][25]

• List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela

• Career statistics fromMLB, orESPN, orBaseball Reference, orFangraphs, orBaseball Reference (Minors), orRetrosheet 
• Edwin Escobar エドウィン エスコバー onInstagram