| Date | News | Comment |
| Mar 22 2024 | The Blue Jays granted Escobar his release Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's .122/.143/.268 slash line over 42 plate appearances during spring training didn't give him much of a chance to make the Blue Jays' roster as a non-roster invitee. The veteran infielder also struggled with the Angels and Mets last season with a .613 OPS in 100 cotnests. |
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| Mar 14 2024 | Escobar went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 35-year-old switch-hitter is trying to win a spot on Toronto's bench, and Wednesday's long ball in the seventh inning off Carmen Mlodzinski can only help his case. Escobar also struck out in his other at-bat, and through 11 spring appearances he's batting just .103 (3-for-29) with a brutal 1:12 BB:K. He may be running out of time to prove he can still make a contribution on a big-league roster. |
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| Feb 15 2024 | Escobar signed a contract with the Blue Jays on Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar suffered through a miserable 2023 season, during which he posted a .267 wOBA and 66 wRC+ across 309 plate appearances split between the Mets and Angels. At 35 years old, he's not likely to see a major rebound in his results, but he could earn consistent at-bats at third base to begin the campaign. |
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| Nov 3 2023 | The Angels declined Escobar's $9 million team option for 2024 on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After slashing just .226/.269/.344 across 309 plate appearances between the Mets and Angels, passing on Escobar's $9 million option was likely an easy decision for the Halos. Escobar will turn 35 in January and will likely have to settle for a bench role with his new organization, if he's even able to secure a major-league contract. |
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| Sep 24 2023 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is 3-for-24 with nine strikeouts over his past eight games, and he'll take a seat for Sunday's series finale in Minnesota. The veteran infielder will likely have a lesser role during the final week of the regular season with Mike Moustakas (forearm) being reinstated from the injured list. |
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| Sep 22 2023 | Escobar isn't in the Angels' lineup Friday against the Twins, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar broke his 0-for-13 stretch at the plate with a hit during Thursday's loss against Tampa Bay, and he'll get a breather for Friday's series opener. Michael Stefanic will start at third base and bat ninth while Escobar rests. |
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| Sep 19 2023 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game at Tampa Bay, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar has operated as the Halos' primary third baseman over the past couple weeks but will sit Tuesday while in the midst of a 1-for-15 slump. David Fletcher will take over at the hot corner and bat ninth. |
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| Sep 13 2023 | Escobar will start at third base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is without a direct path to an everyday role at any one spot in the infield, but he'll pick up his seventh consecutive start Wednesday, with six coming at third base. Even if Mike Moustakas' wrist injury doesn't cost him any further playing time, Escobar should still play regularly over the lefty-hitting Moustakas when the Angels face right-handed pitchers. Escobar hasn't done much to take advantage of the recent uptick in playing time, going 3-for-21 with one run and no RBI over his past six starts. |
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| Sep 3 2023 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's loss to Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's sixth home run of the year was a two-run shot to put the Angels on the board in the fourth inning. He snapped a 19-game homerless drought, during which he posted a .528 OPS with just two RBI. He's now slashing .239/.283/.378 with 16 extra-base knocks through 248 plate appearances. |
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| Jul 31 2023 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Atlanta, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar had picked up three starts in the Angels' last four games, but he appears poised for a downturn in playing time moving forward after Anaheim bolstered its infield Sunday with the acquisition of C.J. Cron. With Cron and Mike Moustakas expected to serve as the team's regular starters in the corner infield versus right-handed pitching, Escobar may be relegated to the short side of a platoon at third base with Moustakas. |
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| Jul 30 2023 | Escobar will start at third base and bat seventh in Sunday's game in Toronto, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar appeared to settle into a part-time role coming out of the All-Star break, but injuries to multiple position players have since paved the way for the 34-year-old to pick up more work. He'll be in the lineup Sunday for the fifth time in seven games, with all of his starts during that stretch coming at first or third base. |
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| Jul 27 2023 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional run and a walk in the second contest of Thursday's doubleheader against Detroit. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar sat out the first game of the twin bill before starting at first base and batting eighth in Game 2. The veteran contributed to a four-homer effort for Los Angeles, swatting a solo shot to right field in the fourth inning. It was his first long ball since joining the Angels on June 23 -- in fact, prior to Thursday, he hadn't gone deep in 35 total games dating back to May 16 against Tampa Bay when he was still a member of the Mets. Escobar has just five homers in 60 games overall this season after going deep at least 20 times in each of his previous two campaigns. |
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| Jul 21 2023 | Escobar is absent from the lineup Friday against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Luis Rengifo will handle second base and Mike Moustakas is playing third versus the Pirates and right-hander Johan Oviedo. Escobar has batted just .250/.283/.286 in 16 games (60 plate appearances) since the Angels acquired him from the Mets in late June. |
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| Jul 18 2023 | Escobar is not in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Yankees, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will take a seat after he went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and two strikeouts in Monday's series opener. Michael Stefanic will draw the start at second base and bat ninth versus New York. |
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| Jul 2 2023 | Escobar will start at second base and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will stick in the lineup for the fourth time in five games, with the veteran having made two starts apiece at third base and second base. The latter position will likely represent Escobar's primary path to steady at-bats at least through the All-Star break, after Brandon Drury (shoulder) was moved to the 10-day injured list Sunday. Since being acquired from the Mets on June 23, Escobar has gone 6-for-21 with five runs and an RBI over his first six games with the Halos. |
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| Jun 27 2023 | The Angels activated Escobar from the restricted list Tuesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was excused from the team Monday to take -- and successfully pass -- his United States citizenship test. He is not in the Angels' starting lineup Tuesday night against the White Sox but should be available off the bench. |
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| Jun 26 2023 | Escobar was excused from the Angels on Monday to take his United States citizenship test, Sarah Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar has to travel to Florida for the test but is only expected to miss the first game of the Angels' four-game series against the visiting White Sox. He'll technically be on the restricted list while he's away from the club. Mike Moustakas is playing third base and batting fifth for the Halos in Monday's series opener versus Chicago. |
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| Jun 25 2023 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a walk, four runs and an RBI in a 25-1 rout against Colorado on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In his first contest since being acquired from the Mets in a trade Friday, Escobar was part of an offensive onslaught during which the Angels produced franchise records with 25 runs and 28 hits. The infielder made a good first impression, scoring four times before being replaced in the field late in the game. Escobar started at third base in his debut contest with Los Angeles and could see near-everyday opportunities there until Anthony Rendon (wrist) is able to return from the injured list. |
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| Jun 23 2023 | The Angels acquired Escobar and cash considerations from the Mets on Friday for right-handed pitchers Landon Marceaux and Coleman Crow. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mets will pay all but the prorated minimum salary of the remaining $9.5 million owed to Escobar for the rest of 2023, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. The move comes shortly after it was announced that Gio Urshela was going to miss the rest of the season due to a fracture pelvis. In 40 games with the Mets, Escobar hit .236/.286/.409 with four homers and two stolen bases over 120 plate appearances. He should see time at third and second base for the Halos, and due to a plethora of injuries in the Angels' infield Escobar should a regular for the Angels for the foreseeable future. |
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| Jun 19 2023 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a walk, a triple, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start at third base against left-hander Matthew Liberatore and batting eighth, Escobar collected his second three-bagger and second steal of 2023. The veteran infielder lost his starting spot at the hot corner to Brett Baty earlier in the year, but with the rookie now struggling -- Baty's slashing .219/.301/.260 over his current 22-game homer drought -- the door could be opening a crack for Escobar to reclaim a more significant role if he can put together a productive stretch at the plate. |
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| Jun 10 2023 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Friday's loss to the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar recorded his third multi-hit performance in his last five games, although he's been stuck on the bench six times during that time as well. The veteran infielder has lost his starting job at the hot corner to Brett Baty, but if he keeps hitting, his playing time in a utility role should tick up, especially with the Mets now trying to cover for the loss of Pete Alonso (wrist). |
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| May 17 2023 | Escobar is starting at second base and batting second Wednesday versus the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is making just his second start of the season at the keystone after he didn't make any starts at the position all of last season. He's also batting higher than seventh for the first time this season. |
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| May 12 2023 | Escobar is starting at third base and batting eighth for the Mets on Friday against the Nationals, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Brett Baty has started three of the last four against lefties, but Escobar is subbing in for him versus MacKenzie Gore. Escobar has a .646 OPS against southpaws this season, which is actually much better than his .459 OPS against righties. |
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| Apr 5 2023 | Escobar will take a seat Wednesday versus the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will be on the bench for the second time in three games Wednesday after he went 1-for-4 in Tuesday's loss. Luis Guillorme will replace him at third base and bat ninth in the series finale with Milwaukee. |
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| Apr 3 2023 | Escobar is absent from the Mets' lineup for Monday's game in Milwaukee, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Luis Guillorme will get the start at third base. Escobar is 1-for-16 with seven strikeouts and no walks to start the season. He probably doesn't need to look over his shoulder quite yet, but with Brett Baty off to a nice start with Triple-A Buffalo, Escobar would be wise to pick it up. |
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| Mar 25 2023 | Escobar's poor spring, as well as a big performance from Brett Baty, have given the Mets a tough decision to make at third base, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's 4-for-30 (.133) spring comes with just one extra-base hit, a double, while Baty has raked to the tune of a .325 batting average (13-for-40) with a home run and two stolen bases, although the 23-year-old has struck out 14 times in 50 plate appearances. Escobar remains the favorite to start at the hot corner Opening Day while Baty heads back to Triple-A for more seasoning, but a slow start from the veteran could prompt the Mets to make a quick switch, as there's little margin for error in what should be an ultra-competitive NL East. |
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| Feb 18 2023 | Escobar was dealing with an off-field family issue last season that impacted his performance, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: "It was really hard," Escobar said this week. "I love baseball and respect my teammates. My problems are my problems. And I try to separate my problems from the job. But it was really hard throughout the season, especially when you're coming to a big team as a new player. It led to trying too much." The 34-year-old still slugged 20 home runs in 2022 for the fifth time in his career, but his .725 OPS was his lowest over a full season since 2016. The issue got dealt with in August, and Escobar's .321/.385/.596 slash line in September and October suggests he regained his focus in spades. He has extra incentive to rebound in 2023 as well -- prospect Brett Baty will be pushing for the starting job at third base this summer, and Mets owner Steve Cohen could potentially pursue free-agent-to-be Manny Machado next winter. |
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| Oct 5 2022 | Escobar isn't starting Wednesday against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is getting a rare chance to rest during Wednesday's regular-season finale after he went 2-for-12 with a run, an RBI, three walks and five strikeouts over the last four games. Mark Vientos will start at the hot corner and bat seventh. |
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| Sep 29 2022 | Escobar went 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI in Wednesday's 5-4 victory over the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar put the team on his back Wednesday with a two-run homer off lefty starter Jesus Luzardo in the seventh inning, a two-run single to tie the game in the eighth and a walk-off RBI single in the 10th. The third baseman has accumulated nine multi-hit games in his last 20, including two three-hit games in his last three contests. In addition, the 33-year-old has tallied 11 RBI over his last five games. |
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| Sep 23 2022 | Escobar went 1-for-5 with a grand slam and an additional run in a 9-2 win against the Athletics on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar connected on a two-out grand slam in the fifth inning off Oakland starter Cole Irvin and later tacked on New York's final run in the seventh. The long ball is the seventh of September for the 33-year-old who continues to rake with a .329/.388/.671 slash line, 15 runs and 17 RBI in 21 games this month. |
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| Sep 17 2022 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run, a walk and an additional run scored in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's blast in the second inning was all the offense the Mets needed. He's hit safely in 13 of 16 games in September, going 22-for-56 (.393) with nine extra-base hits, including six homers. The 33-year-old's strong month has restored him to a starting role at third base, and it's lifted his season slash line to .240/.292/.434 through 122 contests. He's added 18 homers, 56 RBI, 54 runs scored and 24 doubles. |
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| Sep 11 2022 | Escobar went 3-for-5 with one double, one homer, two RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 11-3 win over the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar gave the Mets the lead with an RBI double in the fourth inning and led off the seventh with a home run off righty reliever Jeff Brigham. The third baseman has been on a great run in his last eight games with a .500 average and 1.496 OPS in 32 plate appearances. After going 18 games without a home run, the 33-year-old has hit four in his last eight games. |
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| Sep 8 2022 | Escobar went 6-for-9 with two runs scored and two RBI across both games of Wednesday's doubleheader sweep of the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: All six hits were singles -- two in the matinee and four in the nightcap -- but Escobar was able to turn them into some production while batting eighth in the lineup in both contests. The 33-year-old has had a tough season, but he's at least finishing it with a flourish. Since moving back into the starting lineup nine games ago, he's batting .448 (13-for-29) with three homers and six RBI. |
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| Sep 3 2022 | Escobar went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 7-1 loss to the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mets mustered only four hits in the contest, and Escobar's long ball accounted for their lone run. He's taking advantage of renewed playing time at third base in September, going 2-for-7 with two homers, four RBI and two walks through three games this month. The veteran infielder is slashing just .219/.272/.397 on the year with 14 homers, 48 RBI, 43 runs scored and 22 doubles through 109 contests, but he should have a clear path to playing time until Luis Guillorme (groin) returns. |
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| Sep 1 2022 | Escobar will start at third base and bat eighth Thursday against the Dodgers, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar looked on track to fill a utility infield role for the Mets when he was reinstated from the injured list over the weekend, but he's now poised to reclaim the everyday role at third base with rookie Brett Baty expected to miss the rest of the regular season while recovering from right thumb surgery. The Mets added journeyman infielder Deven Marrero from Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday to give the team another option at the hot corner, but in spite of his struggles at the plate this season, Escobar should play regularly against both right- and left-handed pitching. Escobar could be in danger of moving into a short-side platoon role, however, once the lefty-hitting Luis Guillorme (oblique) returns from the IL, perhaps as soon as next week. |
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| Aug 27 2022 | Escobar (oblique) went 0-for-3 in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar had chances to make an impact, but instead left five men on base in his fruitless return after a minimal stay on the injured list. The 33-year-old has primarily played third base this season, but he could shift into a utility role over the last few weeks of the season to allow prospect Brett Baty consistent playing time at the hot corner. Escobar is fairly experienced around the infield in his career, though he'll likely need to improve slightly on his season-long .214/.267/.381 slash line to remain a consistent presence in the lineup. |
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| Aug 25 2022 | Mets manager Buck Showalter said Escobar (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment Thursday for High-A Brooklyn, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: According to Showalter, Escobar is scheduled to log seven innings at shortstop, a position he's played for only two innings in the majors since the start of the 2019 season. Because Escobar had fallen into a short-side platoon role at third base prior to landing on the injured list Aug. 17 with a strained oblique, the Mets are eager to give him more exposure to other infield positions so he can serve as more of a utility player off the bench once he's activated. The Mets appear content to stick with rookie Brett Baty as their everyday third baseman, even though the youngster has produced a measly .492 OPS in his first eight big-league games. |
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| Aug 21 2022 | Escobar (oblique) "is doing really well" and is on track to return Friday against Colorado, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is in line to return from the injured list when first eligible, though his potential role is more uncertain. Brett Baty was recalled when Escobar went down and has taken over at third base while collecting three hits in 17 at-bats. |
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| Aug 17 2022 | Escobar was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a strained left oblique, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran third baseman was unable to get past the oblique injury this week and will now be unavailable for at least the next week and a half. Luis Guillorme (groin) is also on the IL, and prospect Brett Baty was promoted to the majors and should take over as New York's primary third baseman for the time being. It's unclear how long Escobar is expected to be sidelined, but he may be in line for a reduced role once healthy. |
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| Aug 16 2022 | Escobar was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's game in Atlanta due to a sore left oblique, and he's expected to be placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was poised to move into a full-time role at third base after strong-side platoon mate Luis Guillorme (groin) landed on the injured list Monday, but the Mets are now set to be without their top two options at the position for the foreseeable future. As a result, the Mets are poised to expedite top prospect Brett Baty's arrival to the big leagues, as the 22-year-old will have his contract selected from Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Wednesday's game, according to DiComo. Depending on how well he performs in his initial taste of the big leagues, Baty could hold off Guillorme and Escobar for playing time once both are healthy again. |
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| Aug 15 2022 | Escobar (oblique) is in the lineup for Monday's game against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar did not start the last couple days, but he replaced an injured Luis Guillorme (groin) in Sunday's game and will claim a spot in the starting nine one day later. Escobar will man the hot corner and hit eighth for the Mets on Monday night. |
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| Aug 14 2022 | Escobar is still feeling soreness in his left oblique, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's injury will prevent him from starting both games on the schedule this weekend, but he could be ready to ready to return soon, as an MRI revealed no serious issue. |
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| Aug 13 2022 | Escobar (side) isn't starting Saturday against the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will be held out of the lineup for at least one game after he exited Friday's matchup with a side injury, but the Mets hope that he'll avoid a trip to the injured list. Luis Guillorme is starting at the hot corner and batting seventh. |
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| Aug 12 2022 | Escobar left Saturday's game against the Phillies with a side injury, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The specific nature and severity of Escobar's injury are not yet clear. He'd already seen a significant drop in playing time, as he slipped into a spot on the short side of a platoon with Luis Guillorme at third base at the start of August, so his short-term outlook won't change much if he's shut down for a few days. |
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| Aug 3 2022 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals, and manager Buck Showalter hinted after Tuesday's 5-1 loss that the 33-year-old will likely be deployed in a platoon at third base with Luis Guillorme moving forward, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mets signed Escobar to a two-year, $20 million contract this winter with the intention of having him play regularly against both right- and left-handing pitching, but the switch hitter has been far more successful versus southpaws this season. He's produced a .261/.293/.530 slash line (129 wRC+) in his 123 plate appearances against lefties, compared to a .199/.260/.328 line (71 wRC+) in 265 plate appearances against righties. Since the lefty-hitting Guillorme has made some strides as a hitter in 2022 and is a superior defender at third base, the Mets' decision to limit Escobar's opportunities versus righties thus doesn't come as a major surprise. Escobar will be sitting against a right-hander (Anibal Sanchez) for the fourth time in the last five matchups. |
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| Aug 2 2022 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is mired in a 5-for-19 (.172) slump, so he will be held out in favor of Luis Guillorme for the fourth time in eight games. Guillorme has not fared well at the plate lately, either, but he could continue eating into Escobar's playing time if Escobar is unable to get back on track. |
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| Jul 31 2022 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is 4-for-22 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI and eight strikeouts in six games since the All-Star break, and he'll step out of the lineup Sunday for the second time in New York's past three contests. Luis Guillorme will receive another start at the hot corner as Escobar's grip on an everyday role could be slipping. |
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| Jul 29 2022 | Escobar isn't starting Friday against the Marlins, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is getting a day off after he went 2-for-8 with a home run, a double, two runs, two RBI and four strikeouts over the last two games. Luis Guillorme will take over at shortstop and bat eighth. |
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| Jul 27 2022 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's 12th home run of the season capped a four-run first inning for the Mets, who were able to quickly come back from an early 2-0 deficit. The home run is Escobar's only hit in 12 at-bats since the All-Star break, but he still appears secure as the Mets' everyday third baseman. He'll start again in Wednesday's series finale and bat eighth. |
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| Jul 24 2022 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts in the first two games out of the All-Star break, and he'll take a seat for Sunday's series finale. Luis Guillorme will man the hot corner and bat eighth for New York. |
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| Jul 16 2022 | Escobar went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and a double in a 4-3 extra-inning win over the Cubs in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar played all 21 innings between the two teams Saturday, going 0-for-4 in the matinee before flexing some power in the nightcap. His homer in the latter contest was his fifth in July and his 11th of the year. The infielder is slashing .223/.277/.398 with 40 RBI, 37 runs scored, 18 doubles and three triples through 358 plate appearances this year, and he's been caught stealing on both of his attempts. |
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| Jul 14 2022 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 7-3 win over Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran infielder has four of his 10 homers on the season in July, but he still hasn't been able to put together a prolonged hot streak. Escobar is batting just .192 (10-for-52) on the month, and his slash line on the season remains a lackluster .217/.273/.387. |
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| Jul 3 2022 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 4-1 win over the Rangers on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's home run off Jon Gray gives him nine on the season. He has now hit three home runs in his first thee games in July. Despite the hot start to the month, the veteran third baseman is only slashing .228/.286/.408 on the season and has a WAR of exactly 0.0 according to Baseball-Reference. |
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| Jun 29 2022 | Escobar isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar went 1-for-14 with an RBI, a walk and five strikeouts over the last four games and will get a chance to reset Wednesday. Luis Guillorme is shifting to third base while Jeff McNeil starts at the keystone. |
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| Jun 21 2022 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 8-2 loss to the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar went deep in the seventh inning for his first homer since June 6. The infielder has hit safely in his last two games since snapping an 0-for-18 skid. He still owns a lackluster .230/.292/.395 slash line with six long balls, 29 RBI, 30 runs scored, 16 doubles and three triples across 271 plate appearances this year. |
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| Jun 18 2022 | Escobar (impaired vision) went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar played the full game, so it appears he's past the headaches and dizziness that kept him out of the last two contests. He didn't do anything to end his skid at the plate, however -- he's 0-for-14 in his last four games, dropping his season slash line to .233/.297/.392 in 259 plate appearances. |
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| Jun 17 2022 | Escobar (impaired vision) plans to play Saturday against the Marlins, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar hasn't played since Thursday while dealing with headaches and dizziness which reportedly stemmed from pressure in his ears. He had to go to the hospital to sort the issue out, but he's seemingly been treated successfully, so he's ready to play against Saturday. |
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| Jun 16 2022 | Manager Buck Showalter revealed after Thursday's win over the Brewers that Escobar was unavailable due to a "non-workplace event," Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Showalter said that the reason for the third baseman's lack of availability was medical in nature, he couldn't elaborate much on the nature of Escobar's absence, so it's not yet clear whether he'll be available for Friday's series opener against the Marlins. If the 33-year-old is forced to miss additional games, Jeff McNeil, Luis Guillorme and J.D. Davis would be candidates to start at third base. |
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| Jun 7 2022 | Escobar went 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, a home run, three total runs and six total RBI in Monday's 11-5 win over the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar knocked in two runs with a single in the first inning, but the best was yet to come. He followed with a double in the fourth and a homer in the eighth before completing the cycle with a two-run triple in the ninth. Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, this was the 11th cycle in Mets history and the first since Scott Hairston accomplished the feat in April of 2012. Escobar is slashing a modest .241/.311/.414 on the campaign, but he's been coming alive at the plate of late, hitting .345 with three homers and 10 RBI over his past seven games. |
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| Jun 1 2022 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and a second run scored in Tuesday's 10-0 win over the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He launched his third homer of the year in the sixth inning off Francisco Perez to cap the scoring in the rout for the Mets. Escobar struggled through most of May but has caught fire recently along with the rest of the New York offense, batting .333 (12-for-36) over the last eight games with four doubles, a homer, six runs and seven RBI. |
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| May 25 2022 | Escobar went 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 13-12 loss to the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: On a night when the Mets and Giants combined for 37 hits, Escobar's four knocks tied Joc Pederson for the game-high total. After hitting .147 through the first three weeks of May, Escobar has caught fire with six hits in 10 plate appearances for the first two games of the series in San Francisco. |
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| May 22 2022 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is getting a breather after he started in both ends of Saturday's doubleheader in Colorado while going 1-for-6 with two walks and a run. Luis Guillorme will spell Escobar at third base. |
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| May 18 2022 | Escobar went 3-for-7 with a walk and a solo home run across both games of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After reaching base three times in the matinee, Escobar slugged a solo shot in the fourth inning of the nightcap off Steven Matz. The homer was only his second of the season, and the veteran infielder's production in the twin bill was an encouraging sign after he slashed a brutal .141/.212/.192 with only two RBI over his prior 20 games. |
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| May 12 2022 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Nationals, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will get a day off to mentally reset himself while he remains in the midst of a rough stretch at the plate. Through his first nine starts in May, Escobar is getting on base at a .205 clip and has provided just one extra-base hit (a double). Luis Guillorme will fill in for the veteran at third base. |
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| May 3 2022 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar went 1-for-4 with an RBI during Game 1 and will take a seat for the nightcap, which is only his second time on the bench this season. J.D. Davis will man the hot corner in his place for Game 2. |
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| Apr 21 2022 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Thursday's win over the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar took Anthony DeSclafani yard in the second inning to record his first homer as a Met. Despite not recording a home run, Escobar had shown plenty of power by recording seven doubles and one triple in his first 12 starts this season. Overall, he's hitting .318/.363/.591 to go along with seven runs scored and five RBI across 56 plate appearances. |
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| Apr 9 2022 | Escobar isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Washington. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While starting in each of the first two games of the season, Escobar went 2-for-7 with two doubles, a run, three walks and three strikeouts. Luis Guillorme will start at the hot corner and bat eighth Saturday. |
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| Mar 27 2022 | Escobar went 1-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran infielder took Kyle Finnegan, one of the Nats' potential closing options, deep in the sixth inning. Escobar is coming off a strong 2021 campaign split between Milwaukee and Arizona in which he slugged 28 homers and 90 RBI over 146 games, and the switch hitter is expected to give the Mets a similar jolt of power from the bottom half of their batting order as the team's regular third baseman. |
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| Nov 26 2021 | Escobar signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Mets on Friday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. The contract includes a team option for a third season, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar bounced back from a very poor shortened season in 2020 to hit .253/.314/.472 with 28 homers for the Diamondbacks and Brewers in 2021. That line was good for a 107 wRC+, meaning he's now been an above-average hitter in each of the last three 162-game seasons, averaging 28.7 homers in those campaigns. That doesn't make him a star given the high offensive bar at third base (though he can also be part of the mix at second), but he should still be a very useful player as long as his skills don't deteriorate too much heading into his age-33 season. |
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| Oct 12 2021 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Game 4 of the NLDS on Tuesday against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His defensive versatility makes Escobar a prime candidate to be the first player to enter the game off the bench for Milwaukee. Luis Urias will start at third base while Rowdy Tellez starts at first base. |
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| Oct 11 2021 | Escobar is out of the lineup Monday for Game 3 of Milwaukee's NLDS matchup with Atlanta, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll cede his spot at third base to Luis Urias, whom manager Craig Counsell mentioned is swinging the bat well of late while displaying improved range in the field, per McCalvy. Escobar, meanwhile, has gone 1-for-7 with four strikeouts through the first two contests of the series, a disappointing development for the Brewers after the veteran closed the regular season with doubles in each of his final four games. |
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| Oct 3 2021 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With the Brewers already being locked into their playoff positioning, manager Craig Counsell will rest several veterans for the regular-season finale. Along with Escobar, fellow lineup regulars Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich and Kolten Wong will sit Sunday. Luis Urias replaces Escobar at third base. |
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| Sep 28 2021 | Escobar isn't starting Tuesday's game against St. Louis. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will head to the bench after he went 2-for-6 with a run, a walk and two strikeouts across the last two games. Jace Peterson will shift to the hot corner while Daniel Vogelbach starts at first base. |
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| Sep 25 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Mets. He was also hit by a pitch. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The infielder accounted for half of Milwaukee's hits and all of the team's run production in the low-scoring win. Escobar had gone 0-for-15 in a four-game series versus the surging Cardinals, but he's found more success against the Mets' pitching staff. For the season, the 32-year-old has a .249/.313/.468 slash line with 28 home runs, 85 RBI, 73 runs scored and a stolen base across 576 plate appearances. |
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| Sep 10 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with two solo home runs in Friday's 10-3 win over Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The infielder went deep off Cleveland starter Eli Morgan in the fifth inning and reliever Sam Hentges in the sixth. Escobar has homered three times in his last two games after failing to go yard for 22 games between Aug. 2 and Sept. 7. He's batting .259/.315/.492 with 27 homers, 79 RBI, 69 runs scored and a stolen base through 518 plate appearances between Milwaukee and Arizona this year. |
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| Sep 8 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, two runs and a walk in the win Wednesday versus the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar launched a solo shot off of reliever Connor Brogdon in the sixth inning. It was his 25th of the season but only his third since joining the Brewers on July 28. He has posted a .301 batting average and 11 extra-base hits over 27 games with Milwaukee. |
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| Sep 3 2021 | Escobar (hamstring) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar had been on the injured list since Aug. 24 due to a right hamstring strain, but he'll be back in action for Friday's series opener against the Cardinals. Prior to his injury, the 32-year-old had slashed .248/.321/.446 with four homers, 16 runs and 13 RBI in 32 games since the All-Star break. |
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| Sep 1 2021 | Escobar (hamstring) is expected to be reinstated from the injured list for Friday's series opener against the Cardinals, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Craig Counsell said earlier in the week that Escobar should return during the weekend series versus St. Louis, and it appears he'll be ready to go for the first contest of that three-game set. The 32-year-old landed on the injured list Aug. 23 with a strained right hamstring, and he'll end up missing little more than the 10-day minimum. |
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| Aug 31 2021 | Manager Craig Counsell said Monday that he expects Escobar (hamstring) to return from the 10-day injured list at some point during the Brewers' upcoming three-game series with the Cardinals this weekend, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barring any further setbacks in his recovery from a right hamstring injury, Escobar looks like he'll make his way back from the IL in the minimum time, or close to it. Since joining the Brewers ahead of the July 30 trade deadline, Escobar has settled in as Milwaukee's top third baseman against right-handed pitching and top first baseman against left-handed pitching. In 21 games with the Brewers, he's hitting .280 with two home runs, 11 runs and eight RBI. |
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| Aug 27 2021 | Escobar (hamstring) played catch and hit ahead of Friday's game against the Twins, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is expected to miss approximately two weeks after he was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a strained right hamstring, but it's encouraging to see him resume activities shortly after he sustained the injury. The 32-year-old still has several steps remaining in his recovery before he's cleared to return to game action, but he appears to be on the right track. |
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| Aug 24 2021 | Manager Craig Counsell said Escobar (hamstring) will miss about two weeks, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's absence figures to increase the playing time of Luis Urias, Jace Peterson and Pablo Reyes, whom the Brewers recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday. More details about Escobar's recovery should become clear in the next week or so. |
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| Aug 22 2021 | Escobar (hamstring) will undergo an MRI on Sunday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was initially diagnosed with right hamstring discomfort after leaving Sunday's win over the Nationals, and the Brewers are expected to offer an update on his status Tuesday. The team isn't yet sure whether the 32-year-old will require a trip to the injured list, but his MRI should provide more clarity regarding his injury. If Escobar misses additional time, Luis Urias and Jace Peterson would be in line for increased at-bats. |
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| Aug 14 2021 | Escobar is not starting Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar went hitless with a pair of strikeouts in the afternoon loss, ending his streak of of four consecutive multi-hit games. Luis Urias is starting at third base and batting sixth in the nightcap. |
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| Aug 11 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Cubs in Game 2 of the doubleheader. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar continues to have success with his new team, with two hits in both games of the doubleheader Tuesday. In Game 2, he drove in Willy Adames and scored on a Luis Urias single as part of a six-run fifth inning. The 32-year-old has 10 hits in his last six games, and he is batting .317 with three homers and seven RBI in 11 games with the Brewers. On the season, he is slashing .253/.309/.489 with 24 long balls, 72 RBI and 57 runs scored in 446 plate appearances. |
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| Aug 4 2021 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Wednesday's 4-2 win over Pittsburgh. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: All three of Escobar's hits were singles, including a run-scoring knock in the third inning. He's gone 6-for-21 (.286) with two home runs, six RBI and four runs scored across six games since he was traded from Arizona to Milwaukee at the trade deadline. The infielder has a .248/.306/.488 slash line with 24 homers, 71 RBI and 54 runs scored across 425 plate appearances overall. |
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| Aug 3 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-2 with a three-run home run, a triple, an additional RBI, an additional run scored and two walks in Monday's win over the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar has gone just 3-for-12 since joining the Brewers from the Diamondbacks, but he has been quite productive in that span with two homers, five RBI, four runs scored and a 4:3 BB:K across 16 plate appearances. He's wasting no time in making his presence felt following the trade. |
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| Jul 30 2021 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two walks and two total runs scored in Friday's 9-5 win over Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old's first start with Milwaukee went well, as he went yard in the ninth inning to tack on an insurance run. He got the start at his natural third base position Friday, but switch-hitter is expected to play first-base against lefties to allow Milwaukee to keep Luis Urias in the lineup. Escobar is up to 23 homers, 66 RBI, 52 runs scored and a stolen base through 405 plate appearances, and his counting stats could be in for a boost now that he's away from Arizona's pitiful offense. |
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| Jul 29 2021 | Escobar isn't starting Thursday's game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was traded from the Diamondbacks to the Brewers on Wednesday, but he won't be in the lineup for his first game with his new club. Whether he's available off the bench remains to be seen, but Luis Urias will start at the hot corner and bat seventh. |
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| Jul 28 2021 | Escobar was acquired by the Brewers from the Diamondbacks on Wednesday in exchange for minor-leaguers Cooper Hummel and Alberto Ciprian, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was an obvious trade chip with Arizona dwelling in the NL West cellar all season, and he'll make his way to Milwaukee ahead of the trade deadline. The switch-hitting infielder has seen most of his action at third base and second base this season and over the past few years, but the Brewers biggest hole in the infield is at first. According to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, Escobar is expected to work at first base against left-hander starters, and he could otherwise split time at third base with Luis Urias. |
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| Jul 20 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a triple in Monday's 4-2 win over the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar tripled to lead off the third but was left stranded. His next time up, he blistered a fastball over the wall in right to give his squad a 4-0 lead in the fifth. The 32-year-old, who's considered a trade candidate for contending teams, has certainly helped his trade value for the Diamondbacks with his recent power surge, as he's gone deep five times in 13 games since July 2. For the year, he's slashing .251/.301/.494 with 22 homers, 64 RBI, 49 runs scored, a steal and a 25:79 BB:K over 372 plate appearances. |
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| Jul 19 2021 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with two walks, a two-run home run and two additional runs scored in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's two-run shot in the eighth inning gave Arizona a 6-2 lead and looked like extra padding, but it became necessary padding when the Cubs touched starter Merrill Kelly for two runs in the top of the ninth. It was the 21st home run for the All-Star infielder, who most certainly will be with a contender before the trade deadline. |
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| Jul 9 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in a 5-2 triumph over the Dodgers on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar singled in the third and poked a two-run home run just over the right-field fence in the fifth to give Arizona a lead it wouldn't relinquish. He's now among the 17 big leaguers with at least 20 long balls and is slashing .255/.301/.488. |
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| Jul 8 2021 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 6-4 win over Colorado. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's three-run blast in the seventh inning increased the Diamondbacks' lead to 6-1. It looked like superfluous insurance, but it became necessary when the Rockies plated three in the top of the eighth to close the gap. It was the second homer in five games for Escobar, who is 7-for-14 with five RBI and four runs scored during that stretch. Arizona's lone representative at the All-Star game has 19 home runs and 58 RBI through 84 games. |
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| Jul 6 2021 | Escobar (quad) is back in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar did not start Saturday or Sunday due to the reemergence of the quad issue, though he was able to pinch hit in both games. He appears to feel at least a little bit better, as he'll bat third and man the hot corner Tuesday. |
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| Jul 4 2021 | Escobar (quadriceps) is not in the lineup Sunday against the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar has been battling a quad issue for the past couple weeks and finds himself on the bench for the second consecutive contest. Asdrubal Cabrera will receive another start at the hot corner for Arizona. |
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| Jul 3 2021 | Escobar isn't starting Saturday's game against the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar suffered a right quadriceps strain nearly two weeks ago, and he's been seen hobbling around the bases recently, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. It's not clear whether Saturday's exclusion from the lineup is due to the quad issue or whether he could be available off the bench. Asdrubal Cabrera will take over at the hot corner and bat third. |
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| Jun 27 2021 | Escobar is out of the lineup Sunday against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is 8-for-14 with two homers, a double and seven RBI over his past five games, and he'll head to the bench against San Diego starter Yu Darvish. Asdrubal Cabrera will start at the hot corner in his place. |
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| Jun 26 2021 | Escobar went 4-for-5 with a home run, double, run and five RBI in a 10-1 triumph against San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar did it all to help Arizona end their 24-game road losing streak, doubling home a run in the first, smashing a two-run homer in the third and singling in the fifth and sixth. It was his first four-hit game and only second with more than two all season, as the infielder is now slashing .254/.300/.484 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. |
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| Jun 25 2021 | Escobar (quadriceps) is starting Friday's game against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar had been out of the lineup for each of the last three contests, but he served as a pinch hitter in the last two games and homered Wednesday. He'll start at the hot corner and bat third in Friday's series opener. |
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| Jun 23 2021 | Escobar (quadriceps) hit a solo home run in his only at-bat in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Milwaukee. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old went deep in the eighth inning to pull Arizona within a run. Escobar remained in the game as a defensive replacement for Josh VanMeter at second base. With a day off Thursday, Escobar may be rested enough to return to the starting nine Friday versus San Diego. He's slashing .242/.290/.466 with 16 homers, 46 RBI, 38 runs scored and a stolen bases through 297 plate appearances. |
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| Jun 22 2021 | Escobar (quadriceps) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar won't start for the second straight game after he sat out Monday's 5-1 win in the series opener with a right quadriceps strain. The Diamondbacks indicated prior to the contest that Escobar was available off the bench, so he wouldn't seem to be at risk of landing on the injured list. Josh VanMeter is set to fill in for Escobar at the hot corner Tuesday. |
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| Jun 21 2021 | Escobar has been diagnosed with a minor right quad strain and is available off the bench Monday against the Brewers, Jody Jackson of Bally Sports Arizona reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was removed from Sunday's game agains the Dodgers with tightness in his right quad and is not in starting lineup for the series opener against Milwaukee. However, given that he's available off the bench Monday, the infielder seems on track to return to the starting nine in the coming days. |
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| Jun 18 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored in Thursday's 10-3 loss to the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Not all was bad for the Diamondbacks, who set a modern era record with their 23rd consecutive road loss. Escobar extended his hitting streak to six games, going 8-for-24 with four extra-base hits during that run. The 32-year-old infielder is in the final year of his contract, so Arizona, which has the worst record in MLB, will likely move him before the trade deadline. |
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| Jun 12 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two strikeouts in a 6-5 loss to the Angels on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar snapped an 0-for-9 stretch with a bunt single in the fourth and pummeled a game-tying two-out home run in the ninth off Los Angeles' closer Raisel Iglesias although it ultimately wasn't enough to deliver the victory. Escobar's 15 homers put him among the league leaders and he appears to be performing closer to his excellent 2019 season rather than a subpar 2020. |
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| Jun 6 2021 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll head to the bench for the first time in exactly a month, as he had started in every game for Arizona since May 6. Ildemaro Vargas will fill in at third base for Escobar, who has gone 9-for-25 with two home runs and three RBI over his last six starts. |
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| Jun 5 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 7-5 loss to Milwaukee. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The third baseman's long ball in the seventh inning tied the game at 5-5. Escobar hasn't hit for much of an average (.244), but he's posted 14 homers, 41 RBI, 33 runs scored and a stolen base in 251 plate appearances as Arizona's everyday option at the hot corner. |
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| Jun 2 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with two runs scored in Tuesday's win over the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar could've had a bigger day but failed to deliver when it mattered the most, and he left five baserunners stranded. However, he still produced and crossed home plate twice while also mustering his second straight multi-hit performance. The third baseman has also hit safely in eight consecutive games, as well as reaching base at least once in all but one of his previous 17 contests. |
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| Jun 1 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 6-2 loss to the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Diamondbacks were kept in check by New York's Jacob deGrom over six innings before Escobar got them on the board with his 13th home run of the season in the seventh. Escobar has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games at a .309 clip with six homers, 19 RBI and 11 runs scored. |
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| May 22 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and an additional run scored during Saturday's 7-6 loss to Colorado. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old has gone deep in three of the past four games and has now tripled his homer total from 2020 despite playing eight fewer games. Escobar is in the midst of an eight-game hit streak and has gone 13-for-34 with five home runs, 15 RBI and six runs. |
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| May 20 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a strikeout as Arizona fell 3-2 to Los Angeles on Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar took Joe Kelly deep in the sixth to knot the score at two, his 11th of the season and second straight game with a home run. A modest six-game hitting streak has brought his average from .200 to .224, although his on-base abilities stand to improve with only two walks in May compared to 22 strikeouts. |
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| May 19 2021 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's loss to the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar got to Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in the fourth inning, tagging the left-hander for a two-run shot to center field. The long ball was his 10th this season, placing him in a tie for fourth place in the National League. Despite the power output, Escobar is batting only .217 on the campaign. |
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| May 16 2021 | Escobar went 3-for-5 with two home runs, three total runs and seven total RBI in an 11-4 win over Washington on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar plated two runs with a single in the first inning, but that was only the beginning of a big night at the plate. He launched a three-run homer to right field in the fourth and a two-run shot in the eighth, helping him tie a career high with seven RBI. Escobar entered the game mired in a 1-for-34 slump and is batting only .213 on the season, but his nine home runs are tied for 13th in the league. |
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| May 6 2021 | Escobar isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against Miami. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will be out of the lineup for the first time since April 4 after he went 3-for-11 with a double, two RBI, a walk and a strikeout in the last three games. Josh VanMeter will start at second base and bat sixth. |
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| May 1 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a double, a RBI and a run scored in the 7-2 win Friday over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was a part of the two-out hit parade in the third inning against Jon Gray. Friday was his second two-hit game in a row and he has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games. The 32-year-old leads the Diamondbacks in home runs (7), runs (19) and OPS (.847). |
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| Apr 25 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the 7-0 win Sunday against the Braves. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar homered in the third inning off Drew Smyly in game two of Sunday's double header. He also provided a hit and an RBI in game one. Sunday marked his seventh home run, tying him for first in the major league. The 32-year-old is slashing .241/.312/.542 with 14 RBI and 15 runs scored. |
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| Apr 18 2021 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar took Erick Fedde deep in the sixth inning, bringing the Diamondbacks within two runs. It was the sixth home run and 10th RBI in nine games for the infielder, who has turned around a 1-for-21 start to the season. |
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| Apr 15 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run scored in Thursday's 11-6 win over the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was the second of back-to-back home runs in the first inning off Patrick Corbin. After a very slow start to the season, the infielder has multiple hits in five of his last six games and his 11 runs scored is amongst the top-10 in the league. Escobar's hitting has given Diamondback's fans something to cheer about in an otherwise stagnant offense. |
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| Apr 11 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer in Sunday's victory over the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar cracked a two-run shot in the fifth inning off Jose De Leon. The 32-year-old is slashing .216/.256/.595 in a Diamondbacks lineup that is in desperate need of bats to heat up. |
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| Apr 9 2021 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run, a double and an additional run scored Friday in a loss to the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was the the only Arizona batter with multiple hits in the contest, and he came through with a two-run shot to right field in the eighth inning to tie the game 5-5. After struggling through a 1-for-21 start to the season, the veteran infielder has gone 3-for-7 with a pair of homers and four RBI over his past two games. |
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| Apr 8 2021 | Escobar went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and a pair of walks during Thursday's loss at Coors Field. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar attempted a ninth-inning rally for his team with a two-run long ball against Carlos Estevez to bring the Diamondbacks within four runs. Unfortunately, that was as close as they would come. It was the first home run of the season for the 32-year-old. Hopefully it can break the 2-for-23 slump he's found himself in thus far. |
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| Apr 4 2021 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar battled a non-COVID illness late in the spring and has gotten off to an 0-for-11 start to the regular season, with five strikeouts. He will head to the bench Sunday as Asdrubal Cabrera starts at third base and bats fifth against right-hander Chris Paddack. |
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| Mar 29 2021 | Escobar (illness) will bat third and play third base Monday against the Cubs, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar missed Sunday's game against the White Sox with a non-COVID illness, but it was evidently a minor one. A one-day absence shouldn't have any impact on his readiness for Opening Day. |
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| Mar 28 2021 | Escobar was scratched from Sunday's Cactus League lineup with a non-COVID illness, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old was set to start at third base and bat third, but he'll instead take it easy Sunday. The specifics of the illness remain unclear, but it shouldn't affect Escobar's availability for Opening Day. |
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| Mar 13 2021 | Escobar started at third base and went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's spring game against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar launched his second spring homer in the sixth inning and is 6-for-19 with a triple, two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored over seven games. The offseason addition of Asdrubal Cabrera, who plays multiple infield positions, generated speculation about the division of playing time and where Escobar would see most of his starts. Adding to the uncertainty was the question of where the Diamondbacks would eventually deploy Ketel Marte, who can play second base or center field. Thus far in Cactus League play, Escobar's played third base five times and once each at second base and DH. When the regular season kicks off, expect Escobar to be the primary third baseman while both he and Cabrera get time at third and second base. |
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| Feb 24 2021 | Escobar said Wednesday that he reported to spring training at 193 pounds, down from 214 pounds a season ago, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After Arizona brought in Asdrubal Cabrera in free agency over the winter, Escobar is expected to see more time at second base during the upcoming season. The increased work at the keystone likely factored into Escobar's decision to cut weight, but the 32-year-old's brutal showing at the plate in 2020 may have also played a factor in him changing his diet. After turning in a 113 wRC+ between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Escobar slumped to a .212/.270/.335 slash line (56 wRC+) over his 222 plate appearances in 2020. Escobar's underlying numbers painted a slightly rosier picture (.263 xBA, .395 xSLG) of his performance, but fantasy players shouldn't be counting on a major bounceback from a slimmed-down Escobar in 2021, especially in the power department. |
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| Sep 25 2020 | Escobar isn't starting the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar drove in a run during the Diamondbacks' 4-0 win in the first game of the twin bill, but he'll play a bench role for Game 2. Wyatt Mathisen will start at third base. |
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| Sep 18 2020 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar has been quite disappointing at the plate this season, hitting .194/.263/.320. He's gone hitless in his last three games. Josh VanMeter will be the third baseman Friday. |
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| Sep 13 2020 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will receive a veteran's day off after starting in each of the previous five games and going a collective 5-for-21 with three doubles and an RBI. Josh VanMeter will spell Escobar at third base and bat second for the Diamondbacks. |
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| Sep 7 2020 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Wyatt Mathisen will pick up his first big-league start at third base in place of Escobar, who went 4-for-13 with a double, an RBI and a run in the first three games of the season. Though he's seen his OPS drop more than 200 points from his 2019 mark (.831), Escobar is still expected to handle an everyday role as the 15-26 Diamondbacks play out the string on a losing season. He may be subject to one or two off days per week, however, as the Diamondbacks look to give opportunities to some of their younger infielders. |
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| Sep 3 2020 | Escobar is not in Thursday's lineup against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He is hitting .171 with one home run in 35 at-bats over his last 10 games. Andy Young will start at third base and bat seventh against lefty Clayton Kershaw. |
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| Aug 30 2020 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar took Giants starter Johnny Cueto deep in the seventh inning for the Diamondbacks' only run in the game. The 31-year-old Escobar is slashing .200/.292/.350 with four homers, 16 RBI, 16 runs scored and a stolen base through 34 games this season. He showed some signs of life at the plate against the Giants, going 3-for-9 with a homer, a triple and a pair of walks in the three-game series. |
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| Aug 21 2020 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 5-1 loss to Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar supplied all the offense the Diamondbacks could muster against left-hander Sean Manaea, and Arizona is now 0-6 against southpaws. This was the second multi-hit game in the last five for Escobar, who is 6-for-18 with two home runs, a double, six RBI and four runs scored during that stretch. It's a positive sign for the hitter, whose average stood at .167 over the first third of the season. |
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| Aug 19 2020 | Escobar started at second base in place of the resting Ketel Marte in Tuesday's 10-1 win over Oakland. He went 0-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was the first start at second base for Escobar, who played the same position 32 times in 2019. His eligibility for middle infield may end here in 2020, as second base is Marte's permanent home. |
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| Aug 16 2020 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer in Sunday's 5-4 win over San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar's three-run shot in the eighth inning proved to be the go-ahead hit in Sunday's contest. It was just the second extra-base hit of August for the 31-year-old. He's slashing .197/.282/.303 in 85 plate appearances. |
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| Aug 14 2020 | Escobar is out of the lineup Friday against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 31-year-old was out of the lineup for the first time this season Sunday, and he'll return to the bench Friday after going 3-for-15 with two RBI and four strikeouts in the past three games. Escobar has a .470 OPS and 25 percent strikeout rate through 75 plate appearances this season. Andy Young will start at the hot corner for Arizona. |
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| Aug 9 2020 | Escobar is out of the lineup Sunday at San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar will receive his first day off of the season after starting the first 15 games and posting a .488 OPS with two extra-base hits in 60 plate appearances. Andy Young will start at the hot corner in the series finale for Arizona. |
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| Aug 5 2020 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run, two runs scored and a hit-by-pitch in Wednesday's 14-7 win over the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar got aboard in the fourth inning when he was hit by a Lance McCullers pitch, and the third baseman came around to score on David Peralta's bases-loaded triple. Escobar then supplied the fourth Arizona homer of the game in the eighth to cap the scoring. Escobar is hitting .159 with six RBI and six runs scored through 53 plate appearances this season. |
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| Aug 2 2020 | Escobar served as designated hitter and went 0-for-4 in Sunday's 3-0 loss to the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar was given a break from third base, but it did nothing to wake up his bat from early-season doldrums. The 31-year-old infielder is batting .132 and has a .379 OPS with 13 strikeouts in 38 at-bats (34 K%). |
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| Jul 27 2020 | Escobar went 1-for-12 with five strikeouts while starting in the first three games of the Diamondbacks' season-opening series with the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Padres' pitching staff has gotten the better of the Diamondbacks' hitters thus far in the four-game set, as Arizona scored only six runs in total through three contests. Escobar's slow start looms larger than normal in an abbreviated campaign, but his outstanding production over his prior one and a half seasons with Arizona should give fantasy managers faith that he'll heat up sooner rather than later. |
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| Mar 21 2020 | Escobar has batted .208 (5-for-24) with one extra-base hit, two walks and six RBI over nine Cactus League games. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar hit third in the order in all nine games and is expected to be a key piece in the middle of the Diamondbacks' lineup in 2020. He launched a career-best 35 home runs in 2019, his third straight year with more than 20 homers, but there's reason for skepticism about his 2019 achievements: the suspicion about the 2019 baseball, a hard-hit rate that was below league average, and his track record as a power hitter. However, factoring in a regression, Escobar is still worthy of a spot on fantasy rosters. He'll be the everyday starter at third base in 2020, but the 31-year-old infielder is also eligible at second base (32 games played). It's at second base where Escobar gives fantasy teams an edge even with a statistical correction. |
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| Feb 29 2020 | Escobar went 1-for-2 with two RBI in Friday's spring game against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar slotted into the third spot in the batting order while starting at third base. He may also qualify as a second baseman after playing 32 games there in 2019, but Ketel Marte is expected to see more action at second in 2020. That is the domino effect of adding Startling Marte, who will start in center field, allowing Ketel Marte to return to his natural spot at second. |
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| Sep 25 2019 | Escobar will sit Wednesday against the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar played the entirety of Tuesday's 19-inning win, going 2-for-6 with a pair of walks. He'll get a well-deserved rest Wednesday, with Jake Lamb starting at the hot corner. |
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| Sep 17 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, two runs scored and a walk to help the Diamondbacks to a 7-5 victory over the Marlins on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar had gone hitless in his last seven at-bats coming into the contest, but he snapped out of it with his sixth-inning solo blast off Pablo Lopez. The 30-year-old's productive campaign at the dish continues, as he's up to 35 homers and 114 RBI on the season, both of which are easily career-best marks. He's also slashing .271/.322/.528 in 148 games. |
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| Sep 11 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in a 3-2 loss against the Mets on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old accounted for both of Arizona's runs, driving in one on a single in the first and smashing a solo homer during the eighth. With this performance, his incredible year continues. Escobar has new career highs in homers, RBI and runs, and he already set those new benchmarks in each category earlier in the season. He's batting .272 with 34 home runs, 112 RBI, 90 runs and five steals in 570 at-bats this year. |
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| Sep 1 2019 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 6-5 win over the Dodgers. | |
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| Aug 30 2019 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a double in Friday's win over the | Dodgers. |
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| Aug 29 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and two runs scored in the Diamondbacks' | 11-5 win over the Dodgers on Thursday. |
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| Aug 21 2019 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 8-7 win | over the Rockies. |
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| Aug 16 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-6 with a home run and a double in Friday's 10-9 loss to the Giants. | |
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| Aug 13 2019 | Escobar is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Rockies. | |
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| Aug 12 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 9-3 loss to the Dodgers. | |
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| Aug 8 2019 | Escobar went 0-for-3 with a walk, stolen base and RBI In Wednesday's 6-1 win over | the Phillies. |
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| Aug 6 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, two runs scored, three RBI and a walk | in the Diamondbacks' 8-4 win over the Phillies on Tuesday. |
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| Aug 4 2019 | Escobar went 3-for-5 with a walk, two home runs and seven RBI in Saturday's 18-7 | rout of the Nationals. |
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| Jul 23 2019 | Escobar started at second base and went 2-for-4 with a walk, two triples, an RBI and two runs scored in Monday's win over the Orioles. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 20 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a home run, a triple and two RBI in Friday's 10-7 victory over the Brewers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 19 2019 | Escobar started at second base and went 1-for-4 in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Brewers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 17 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-7 with two home runs and five RBI in a 19-4 win over the Rangers on Wednesday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 13 2019 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Cardinals. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 7 2019 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple with an RBI in Sunday's victory over the Rockies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 7 2019 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple while knocking in a run in Sunday's victory over the Rockies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 7 2019 | Escobar will start at second base and bat third<\/a> Sunday against the Rockies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 28 2019 | Escobar entered Thursday's game in the sixth inning and went 1-for-2 with an RBI in a 5-1 win over the Giants. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 27 2019 | Escobar is not in the lineup<\/a> Thursday against the Giants. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 26 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's 8-2 win over the Dodgers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 23 2019 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a run scored in Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Giants. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 20 2019 | Escobar has gone 5-for-30 with one extra-base hit (a double), four RBI and four runs over his last eight games. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 10 2019 | Escobar went 3-for-3 with a double, two walks and a run scored in Sunday's 8-2 win over the Blue Jays. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 10 2019 | Escobar went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs, three runs scored and five RBI in Monday's 13-8 win over the Phillies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 2 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and scored twice in a victory over the Mets on Sunday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 30 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run, three RBI and a pair of runs in the Diamondbacks' 11-10 defeat to the Rockies on Thursday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 28 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an RBI single in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Rockies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 25 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-6 with a three-run homer and another run scored in Friday's 18-2 rout over the Giants. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 22 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI on Wednesday against the Padres. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 21 2019 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to San Diego on Tuesday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 18 2019 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 8-5 loss to the Giants. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 17 2019 | Escobar went 1-for-5 with a three-RBI triple in the Diamondbacks' 7-0 victory over the Giants on Friday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 15 2019 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, three RBI, three runs and a walk during an 11-1 victory against the Pirates on Wednesday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 13 2019 | Escobar went 3-for-5 with a home run, a triple, three RBI and two runs scored in Monday's 9-3 win over the Pirates. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 10 2019 | Escobar is not starting Friday<\/a> against Atlanta. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 23 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and a walk in Monday's 8-3 win over Toronto. | Escobar tripled home a run in the first inning, and he brought in a run on a single to left field in the fourth. The 29-year-old has gone 5-for-13 with two extra-base hits and three RBI in four games since the beginning of the second half. |
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| Jul 20 2018 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a double, two walks and two runs in the Twins' 6-5 loss to the Royals on Friday. | It was an active day for the 29-year-old shortstop, who got on base in three of his five at-bats and laced his league-leading 36th double of the season. Escobar is currently on pace for 61 two-baggers and has 52 extra-base hits through 91 games overall, part of the reason he owns a .509 slugging percentage that would easily be a career-best mark if he can maintain it the rest of the season. |
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| Jul 8 2018 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Sunday against the Orioles. | Escobar took Alex Cobb deep in the sixth inning for his 14th home run of the season and second in his past five starts. Though he went from June 7 to July 4 without a home run, he has still maintained a .524 slugging percentage in 319 at-bats this season, a mark that would be his career-best by nearly 100 points. He may be in for a loss of playing time presuming Miguel Sano rejoins the major-league team at some point this summer, though the Twins will be hard-pressed to move Escobar's bat out of the lineup. |
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| Jul 4 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a solo homer Wednesday against the Brewers. | The homer came with two outs in the ninth inning against closer Corey Knebel, but it wasn't enough to close the gap as the Twins lost 3-2. The multi-hit game was a key one for Escobar, as he had gone just 4-for-43 over his previous 13 games, putting his playing time potentially in jeopardy with Jorge Polanco back from his suspension. |
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| Jul 2 2018 | Escobar is not starting Monday against the Brewers, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports. | Escobar will head to the bench in favor of Willians Astudillo. There's now less playing time to go around in the Twins' infield with Jorge Polanco returning from his PED suspension, but Escobar should still start regularly after impressing to the tune of a .277/.332/.527 line on the season. |
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| Jun 23 2018 | Escobar (elbow) will man third base and bat third in the order against Texas on Saturday, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar was forced to begin Friday's game on the bench due to a right elbow bruise, though the 29-year-old entered the contest as a pinch hitter and looks close to full health after a slight scare earlier this week. Over 69 games this year, Escobar is hitting .298 with a .923 OPS. |
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| Jun 22 2018 | Escobar (elbow) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers. | Escobar is dealing with a right elbow bruise after being hit by a pitch Thursday night which will cost him at least one game. Manager Paul Moliter indicated the 29-year-old could return Saturday, with Taylor Motter drawing the start at third base for Friday's game. |
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| Jun 21 2018 | Escobar was diagnosed with a right elbow contusion after being removed from Thursday's game, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Escobar was taken out of Thursday's outing in the third inning after being struck with a pitch earlier in the contest. The third baseman will likely be back in action within the next couple days, and he should be considered day-to-day ahead of Friday's series opener against Texas. |
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| Jun 21 2018 | Escobar exited Thursday's game against the Red Sox in the third inning, likely due to the fact he was hit by a pitch in the elbow earlier in the game, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar took a pitch off his elbow in the first inning, though he was initially able to stay in the game before being removed prior to the fourth frame. Specifics regarding the injury remain unclear at the moment. Taylor Motter came in to play third base. |
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| Jun 19 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's win over the Red Sox. | Escobar doubled in a couple of runs in the sixth inning, then came through with the game-winning RBI single in the eighth to break a 2-2 tie. The 29-year-old has now tallied three straight multi-hit games with five doubles and six RBI over that span, and is riding an eight-game hitting streak to raise his slash line to .305/.355/.582. |
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| Jun 17 2018 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with three doubles and one RBI during Sunday's loss to the Indians. | Escobar plated Minnesota's lone run on an RBI double in the first inning. He's put together a seven-game hitting streak, going 12-for-27 with seven extra-base hits and seven RBI over that span. Escobar is slashing .302/.353/.579 with 12 homers and 45 RBI through 65 games this season. |
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| Jun 13 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Tigers. | Escobar was all of the Minnesota offense in this one, as his first inning single plated the club's only two runs in the game. The 29-year-old is hitting an impressive .391 with 13 extra-base hits in 12 games since the calendar flipped to June. Boosted by that stretch, he's slashing .288/.339/.562 on the year to go along with 12 homers and 39 RBI. |
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| Jun 7 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a home run Thursday, driving in two runs in a 7-2 win against the White Sox. | Escobar is slashing a strong .286/.340/.562 with 12 long balls and an MLB-leading 24 doubles. The 29-year-old infielder has caught fire so far in June, going 11-for-26 with five double and four home runs. If Escobar continues batting anywhere near this level for the rest of the year he should surpass nearly all of his career highs. |
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| Jun 5 2018 | Escobar went 5-for-8 with three doubles, a home run and five RBI across both games of Tuesday's doubleheader against the White Sox. | Escobar powered the Twins offense Tuesday, driving home all but two of their runs in the doubleheader. The 29-year-old is 12-for-28 with five doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI over his last seven games. |
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| Jun 1 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Friday's 7-4 win over Cleveland. | After going 19 games without a homer through most of May, Escobar has suddenly found his power stroke, going yard three times in the last two games to give him 10 home runs on the year along with a .272/.327/.523 slash line. The 29-year-old was streaky in his breakout 2017 campaign as well, so don't be surprised if he continues putting up big numbers through the weekend. |
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| May 31 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double and two runs scored in the Twins' 9-8 defeat to the Indians on Thursday. | After putting up a phenomenal .959 OPS in April, Escobar scuffled in May with a .670 mark in the month over 105 at-bats, but he broke through and launched his first long ball in nearly three weeks with this sixth-inning blast off Shane Bieber. He's still got a solid .267/.324/.492 slash line on the season, so hopefully he can build off this strong performance and regain his early-season form as the calendar flips to June. |
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| May 16 2018 | Escobar is out of the lineup against the Cardinals on Wednesday, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar will receive a rare day off following 23 straight starts in the Twins' lineup as Ehire Adrianza gets the nod at shortstop and Gregorio Petit at third base. Over 35 games this year, Escobar is hitting .281/.333/.547 with seven home runs and 21 RBI. Expect to see him back in the lineup for Friday's game versus Milwaukee. |
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| May 8 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 7-1 win over the Cardinals. | Escobar continued his strong 2018 campaign with the 403-foot shot to left field in the seventh inning to drive in Max Kepler and put the game out of reach. The home run is the 29-year-old's seventh of the season, and he has a .313/.367/.626 slash line in 115 at-bats. |
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| May 5 2018 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Friday's win over the White Sox. | Escobar hit a solo home run in the second inning, another solo shot in the third and an RBI double in the fifth. He also took a walk and got caught stealing. Escobar has gone 21-for-60 (.350) in his last 15 games, and has brought his OPS up to 1.010 on the year. The 29-year-old now has 14 doubles -- which lead the majors -- and his .316 batting average is good for fourth among all MLB shortstops. |
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| Apr 24 2018 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI on Tuesday against the Yankees. | Escobar batted cleanup for the second time this season with left-handed pitcher C.C. Sabathia on the mound and took advantage by posting his first three-hit performance of the season. Though he has only two home runs, he has a 38 percent hard contact rate which has resulted in a .534 slugging percentage. With Jorge Polanco serving an 80-game suspension, Escobar should have the opportunity to maintain his solid early season performance while seeing consistent at-bats. |
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| Apr 21 2018 | Escobar is not in the lineup Saturday against the Rays, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar has taken over as the everyday shortstop in Minnesota while Jorge Polanco is suspended. Saturday will be just his third game out of the lineup. He's doing a solid job filling in for Polanco, hitting .277/.321/.468 through 53 plate appearances. Signs point to those numbers falling, though, as he's benefiting from a .353 BABIP and has a career-high 26.4 percent strikeout rate. Ehire Adrianza will start at shortstop in his place. |
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| Apr 5 2018 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest against Seattle, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar will take a seat after starting the past three games, as manager Paul Molitor elected to go with Ehire Adrianza at shortstop for the club's home opener. Through the first week of the season, Escobar has gone 7-for-16 with one home run and five RBI. |
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| Apr 2 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored in Monday's loss to the Pirates. | Although the Twins lost, Escobar put together his second consecutive multi-hit outing, with one of his hits being a double. However, while Escobar has gone 5-for-13 (.385) over three games this season, strikeouts have been an issue early on. Across his 13 plate appearances, the 29-year-old has struck out five times. |
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| Apr 1 2018 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double, two RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's win against the Orioles. | Escobar sat out Saturday after a subpar showing on Opening Day. The rest appeared to help, as he put on a show in Sunday's victory, with each of his hits being for extra bases. Moving forward, Escobar figures to see regular time in Minnesota's lineup while Jorge Polanco serves his 80-game suspension. |
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| Mar 31 2018 | Escober is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Orioles, Dan Hayes of The Athletic Minnesota reports. | Escobar will head to the bench after starting at shortstop and going 1-for-5 in the season opener. The 28-year-old switch hitter is expected to see the majority of starts at shortstop with Jorge Polanco suspended for 80 games. |
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| Mar 18 2018 | Escobar is expected to be Minnesota's starting shortstop for Opening Day, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Escobar had been in line to open the year in a reserve role for the Twins. However, Jorge Polanco was suspended 80 games Sunday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, moving Escobar to the top of the team's depth chart at shortstop. Last season, Escobar hit .254/.309/.449 over 129 games with the Twins. |
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| Jan 11 2018 | Escobar signed a one-year, $4.85 million deal with the Twins on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. | Escobar enjoyed a solid yet unspectacular season with the Twins in 2017, slashing .254/.309/.449 over 499 plate appearances, including career-high marks of 21 home runs, 73 RBI and five stolen bases. He'll likely see a majority of his playing time at third base and DH this upcoming season. |
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| Sep 28 2017 | Escobar is not in the lineup against the Indians on Thursday, MLBpressbox.com reports. | Escobar, along with a few other regulars, will spend the series finale on the bench after securing a playoff spot due to the Angels' loss Wednesday night. Over the course of September, Escobar is slashing .257/.299/.584 with eight home runs and 22 RBI. Ehire Adrianza draws the start at the hot corner in his stead. |
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| Sep 24 2017 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBI during Sunday's win over the Tigers. | Escobar slapped an RBI single in the fifth inning and followed that up with a three-run shot in the sixth. The Twins' third baseman put together a strong performance during the four-game series, going 6-for-18 with seven RBI in the sweep. He now holds a .252 average with 20 homers and 70 RBI on the campaign. |
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| Sep 16 2017 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run during Saturday's loss to Toronto. | With Miguel Sano (shin) on the disabled list, Escobar has filled in admirably at third base. Escobar entered Saturday's game with six homers, 14 RBI, 11 runs and a .967 OPS through 14 September games, and those numbers only improved after his 19th long fly of the campaign. |
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| Sep 9 2017 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Saturday during the Twins' 5-2 loss to the Royals. | Escobar hit a laser over the right-field wall off Jake Junis to tie the game at 1 in the third inning. His blast marked his 18th of the season and fifth in September, during which he's now 12-for-36 with 13 RBI. Still, it's uncertain that he's done enough to justify anything more than part-time duty after Miguel Sano (shin) returns from the disabled list, likely in the coming days. |
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| Sep 3 2017 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Sunday's loss to Kansas City. | After hitting two homers and driving in six runs Saturday, Escobar was right back at it Sunday. He's penciled into an everyday gig at third base for the duration of Miguel Sano's (shin) absence, and Escobar is capable of providing serviceable fantasy numbers in deeper settings until Sano returns. |
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| Aug 27 2017 | Escobar will start at third base and bat eighth Sunday against the Blue Jays, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar will stick in the lineup for a 13th straight game, with Miguel Sano's (shin) move to the disabled list affording the infielder regular at-bats. Since reclaiming a starting role, Escobar is batting .271 with two home runs, nine RBI and five runs, so he could carry value in deeper mixed leagues and AL-only formats until Sano returns from the DL. |
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| Aug 17 2017 | Escobar went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI in the nightcap of Thursday's doubleheader against the Indians. | Escobar produced an RBI single in the third inning and added an RBI double in the eighth. Both of those hits came tantalizingly close to doing even more damage, as each pushed an additional runner to third base. The versatile infielder had quite the day overall, finishing 4-for-9 with two doubles and three RBI between the two games. |
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| Aug 12 2017 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Tigers, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | His playing time is trending in the wrong direction -- Saturday's absence marks Escobar's fourth in the team's last five games. The 28-year-old was red hot throughout June, batting .354/.398/.549, but he's posted a sub-.600 OPS since the All-Star break. |
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| Aug 9 2017 | Escobar is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Brewers, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar's opportunities have been on the rise since late July after manager Paul Molitor removed Jorge Polanco from his everyday role at shortstop, but Escobar hasn't really been able to capitalize. He's batting an unremarkable .203/.329/.305 since the All-Star break, and with Polanco having heated up in recent games to take back ownership of the shortstop spot, Escobar's window to make an impact for fantasy owners may have closed. Escobar will hit the bench for a second straight game Wednesday. |
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| Aug 8 2017 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Brewers, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports. | Escobar is just 3-for-22 (.136) in seven games this month, so he'll head to the bench for a breather after starting nine straight contests. Jorge Polanco will take his place at shortstop for the game. |
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| Jul 30 2017 | Escobar went 1-for-6 with a two-run homer and a stolen base in Sunday's 6-5 loss to Oakland. | Escobar followed in the footsteps of fellow infielder Brian Dozier, homering in his first at-bat then making five consecutive outs as this 12-inning contest progressed. The versatile switch-hitter has now hit double-digit long balls twice in the past three seasons. |
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| Jul 28 2017 | Escobar is not in Friday's lineup against the A's, LaVelle E. Neal of the Star Tribune reports. | Escobar receives a day off after starting the past five games, going 4-for-18 with one home run and three RBI during that span. In his place, Ehire Adrianza draws the start at shortstop while batting eighth in the order. |
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| Jul 23 2017 | Escobar will start at third base and man the leadoff spot Sunday against the Tigers, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Though Escobar finds himself at the hot corner Sunday, it's expected that he'll see more reps at shortstop in the near future with Twins manager Paul Molitor announcing Saturday that Jorge Polanco would be removed from his everyday role at the position in order to open up more at-bats for Escobar and Ehire Adrianza, according to LaVelle E. Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Thanks to his versatility, Escobar had already been seeing semi-regular at-bats at a number of different positions, but with his opportunities likely to increase, so too will his fantasy value. Escobar is hitting .275 with eight home runs and 30 RBI over 242 plate appearances this season. |
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| Jul 23 2017 | Escobar went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run during Sunday's loss to Detroit. | Escobar is expected to see more consistent playing time moving forward, which will provide a modest virtual boost. He projects to remain a low-end asset in deep settings, but regular playing time provides a nice fantasy floor. For the campaign Escobar sports a .273/.328/.441 slash line with nine homers, 32 RBI and 29 runs through 247 plate appearances. |
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| Jul 14 2017 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Astros, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar sat out two of the Twins' final three games prior to the break, and he will remain on the bench for the second-half opener. While the 28-year-old enjoyed a very productive month of June (.354/.398/.549), he is still sitting with just a .677 OPS against right-handed pitching for the season. |
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| Jul 6 2017 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI in Thursday's win over the Orioles. | His two-run triple in the third inning helped push the Twins' lead to 5-3 and he came around to score on a fielder's choice later in the inning. Escobar continues to showcase his defensive versatility as well as he made his 27th appearance of the season at the hot corner with Miguel Sano sliding over to first base in place of the injured Joe Mauer. He's hitting .333 with two extra base hits thus far in July. |
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| Jul 4 2017 | Escobar will start at second base and bat fifth in Tuesday's game against the Angels, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports. | Escobar will pick up his fourth consecutive start and fifth in six games, this time as a result of Brian Dozier (back) being given the day off. Dozier is expected to rejoin the lineup Wednesday, but Escobar's ability to play either spot on the left side of the infield or serve as the club's designated hitter will continue to afford him a handful of starts per week. The utility man has provided surprising value for those who have leaned on him in AL-only or deeper mixed leagues, as he's hit .282 while chipping in eight home runs and 26 RBI this season. |
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| Jun 22 2017 | Escobar is batting fifth and playing third base Thursday, Chad Graff of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Minnesota is looking to keep him in the lineup as often as possible, so they're deploying Miguel Sano at designated hitter. Escobar is riding an eight-game hit streak in which he's 16-for-32 with two home runs and six RBI, and his versatility to play several positions will work in his favor as long as he keeps this up to some degree. He's worth a pickup in many mixed fantasy leagues for the hope he sustains this, though he's much safer in the long term as a matchup play against left-handed pitching. |
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| Jun 21 2017 | Escobar (undisclosed) is in the lineup Wednesday against the White Sox, batting second and playing third base, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports. | Escobar was removed from Tuesday's contest due to an apparent injury, but it seems to not be a hindrance to the utility infielder any longer. The 28-year-old has been scorching hot as of late as his 1.318 OPS over the past 14 games suggests, so it's great news that he'll be able to continue playing without an injury holding him back. He doesn't seem to have a set spot in the Twins' lineup, but manager Paul Molitor seems intent on keeping his bat in the lineup in some capacity for most game while he's knocking the cover off the ball. |
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| Jun 20 2017 | Escobar exited Tuesday's game against the White Sox in the seventh inning, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar was 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk and run scored before he was eventually replaced in the field by Ehire Adrianza during the seventh inning. The reason for Escobar's early departure is currently unknown, but his status will be updated when more information becomes available. |
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| Jun 18 2017 | Escobar will start at second base and bat sixth Sunday against the Indians, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | The return of Jorge Polanco from the bereavement list last Monday was expected to result in reduced playing time for Escobar, but the utility man has staved off a benching thanks to his hot hitting. Escobar will fill in for a resting Brian Dozier at the keystone Sunday, marking his eighth start in nine games after going 15-for-26 (.577 average) with three home runs, eight RBI and five runs over those previous seven contests. |
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| Jun 15 2017 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run Thursday's win over the Mariners. | Escobar greeted Ariel Miranda with a homer in the first, and he notched a pair of singles in subsequent at-bats. The 28-year-old has been on quite a run to begin June, recording six multi-hit games (including four with three or more hits) and three homers so far this month. He's raised his average from .210 to .295 since the calendar flipped from May. |
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| Jun 13 2017 | Escober went 5-for-6 -- all singles -- with two RBI and two runs in Tuesday's 20-7 win over the Mariners. | The Twins racked up 28 hits in this one, and Escobar accounted for a big chunk. He's gone 8-for-10 with five RBI over his last two starts, but that's far from the sort of production we typically see from the relatively light-hitting infielder. Thanks to his limited playing time, these two games (plus an 0-for-1 off the bench) have brought his average up from .230 to a much more respectable .274. |
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| Jun 11 2017 | Escobar finished 3-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk and three RBI on Sunday against the Giants. | Although he tends to start more often against left-handed pitching, Escobar was in the starting lineup Sunday and produced off Giants starter Matt Cain. Nonetheless, the utility infielder will most likely continue in his reserve role and will not play every day. He's now slashing .248/.299/.410 in 127 plate appearances on the season. |
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| Jun 7 2017 | Escobar played the ninth inning of Monday's loss to Seattle at catcher. He started at DH and went 2-for-4. | He's been Minnesota's emergency catcher, but it was his first career appearance in a game. He may qualify at catcher in some formats as a result. It's unlikely he'll get more time at the position this season, however. Escobar is a utility infielder, but has nine starts at DH this season thanks to his .985 OPS against left-handed pitching. |
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| Jun 6 2017 | Escobar (undisclosed) is starting at designated hitter and hitting eighth Tuesday against the Marlins, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. | He suffered an injury during a stolen-base attempt in Sunday's game, but is healthy enough to get three or four at-bats against lefty James Paxton. Escobar is hitting .225/.253/.352 with two home runs in 71 at-bats since the start of May. His primary value comes from his defensive versatility, which does little for fantasy owners. |
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| Jun 4 2017 | Escobar exited Sunday's game in the ninth inning with an undisclosed injury, LaVelle Neal of the Star Tribune reports. | Joe Mauer moved out of the DH spot to take over at first base while Miguel Sano slid over to third base in place of Escobar, who was injured on a slide while stealing second base. It's still too early to tell the severity of Escobar's injury, but it will be a development to monitor throughout the rest of Sunday. Escobar's positional versatility on the left side of the infield will be missed if he has to miss additional time beyond Sunday. |
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| May 30 2017 | Escobar, who was away for a personal matter, hopes to join the Twins in the early innings of Tuesday's game against the Astros, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | He would have likely entered the lineup for Miguel Sano, who was scratched with an illness, but Escobar was flying back from Miami after interviewing with U.S. Immigration officials in his pursuit of a green card as a naturalized U.S. citizen. Escobar should be available off the bench and could be a lineup option Wednesday. |
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| May 11 2017 | Escobar went two-for-three with a home run, walk and 4 RBI in Thursday's win over the White Sox. | After getting the day off Wednesday due to a rainout, it was a productive game for Escobar, who set the tone for his club with a three-run homer in the first. The bomb was his fourth of the season -- a welcome sight for fantasy owners as Escobar was just one for his last 11 at the plate. |
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| May 4 2017 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Thursday's loss to Oakland. | The homer was Escobar's third of the season and improved his slugging percentage to a rock-solid .524. Considering the 28-year-old infielder entered 2017 with a .381 mark over 1,620 career plate appearances, there is probably steep negative regression ahead. Additionally, Escobar is only playing sparingly with just 47 plate appearances this season. Still, there are cavernous settings where he can help, and he's worth considering in daily contests as a low-priced flier while producing at the dish. |
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| Apr 15 2017 | Escobar is starting at second base and batting sixth Saturday against the White Sox. | Escobar will fill in for Brian Dozier, who is out with mild knee soreness. The switch-hitter is 4-for-14 in limited playing time this season and just 4-for-23 against White Sox starter Jose Quintana. Nevertheless, the unexpected playing time provides Escobar a nice opportunity to get some exposure. |
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| Apr 8 2017 | Escobar is batting ninth and slotted as the designated hitter for Saturday's game against the White Sox, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. | Escobar is normally reserved as a backup infielder, though it seems manager Paul Molitor wants his switch-hitting bat in the lineup Saturday. The 28-year-old is 3-for-6 in two games this season with a home run and four RBI, a hot start he'll look to build on going forward. |
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| Apr 6 2017 | Escobar is not in the Twins' lineup Thursday. | Escobar suited up against Ian Kennedy on Wednesday because he had good numbers against him, but his home run against Matt Strahm wasn't enough to get him a second consecutive start. Jorge Polanco will start most Twins contests at shortstop, though Escobar will slide in there on occasion. |
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| Apr 5 2017 | Escobar got the start at shortstop and hit seventh Wednesday, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI -- including a three-run home run -- in a 9-1 win over the Royals. | Twins manager Paul Molitor gave the 28-year-old the nod in part because of his excellent career numbers against Royals starter Ian Kennedy, but Escobar's blast came off young left-hander Matt Strahm instead. Jorge Polanco is set as Minnesota's starting shortsop, but if Escobar can get enough playing time in a utility role he could take a run at his 2015 career high of 12 homers. |
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| Mar 22 2017 | Escobar started a shortstop and went 2-for-3 in Wednesday's loss to Houston. He's hitting .306 (11-for-36) this spring. | Despite his strong showing at the plate this spring, he looks set to begin the season in a utility role as there's been little talk that he'll overtake Jorge Polanco for the starting shortstop role. However, Escobar could move into the starting lineup at shortstop if Polanco falters or at third base if Miguel Sano struggles with his glove and becomes the DH. |
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| Dec 2 2016 | Escobar agreed to a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Twins on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports. | He was believed to be a non-tender candidate, but ultimately Escobar and the Twins were able to land on a number that was suitable for both sides. Escobar hit just .236/.280/.338 in his age-27 season, but he was significantly better at the plate in 2015 and can play shortstop, second base and third. |
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| Sep 27 2016 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a walk, solo homer and scored twice in Tuesday's game against the Royals. | Escobar's fourth-inning blast was his sixth of the season, and his first in the team's last 51 games. Tuesday also marked the switch-hitting infielder's first RBI and run since Sept. 15, as Escobar has had a brutal final month of the 2016 campaign. Entering the contest, he was hitting a pathetic .089/.150/.089 through 56 September at-bats, light years beyond his worst numbers for any month this year. |
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| Sep 18 2016 | Escobar is not in the lineup Sunday against the Mets. | Escobar has started seven consecutive games and gone a dismal 1-for-28 (.036) in that time. James Beresford will get the nod to start at the hot corner while Escobar heads to the bench. |
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| Aug 31 2016 | Escobar is out of Wednesday's lineup against the Indians, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reports. | Jorge Polanco will start at shortstop while Escobar gets the night off. Having gone 5-for-18 (.278) with two doubles over the last seven games, Escobar has remained consistent with his season line of .266/.298/.385. |
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| Aug 28 2016 | Escobar is out of the lineup Sunday against the Blue Jays. | Escobar will return to the bench after drawing four straight starts in the Minnesota infield. In his place, Trevor Plouffe will start at third base, while Jorge Polanco gets the nod at shortstop. |
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| Aug 19 2016 | Escobar has not played the last three games as Jorge Polanco has started at shortstop. | With Trevor Plouffe back from the DL, it looks like the Twins will keep Polanco at shortstop to evaluate him for 2017. Escobar will move to a utility role again as a result. |
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| Aug 11 2016 | Escobar is not in the lineup for game two of the doubleheader against the Astros on Thursday. | Escobar played at short for the day game, going 2-for-4 with two strikeouts, and will get the nightcap off. In his place, Jorge Polanco slides over to shortstop while batting sixth. |
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| Aug 7 2016 | Escobar is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rays, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Following Eduardo Nunez's trade to the Giants, Escobar has taken over as the Twins' primary shortstop, starting 10 straight games prior to Sunday's day off. He's gone 0-for-11 over the last three contests, so sitting out could give Escobar a chance to recharge. Jorge Polanco will cover shortstop for Escobar. |
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| Jul 30 2016 | Escobar went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and two runs in a 6-5 defeat against the White Sox on Saturday. | The 27-year-old is on a mini-hot streak, having gone 6-for-14 (.429) with two doubles and a homer in the last three games. He will likely continue to see regular at-bats at shortstop since Eduardo Nunez was traded to San Francisco. Escobar is hitting .269 with four home runs, 25 RBI and 21 runs in 212 at-bats. |
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| Jul 28 2016 | Escobar went 2-for-4 in Thursday's win over Baltimore. Escobar started at third base with Miguel Sano getting the day off. However, he'll likely take over as the everyday shortstop after Eduardo Nunez was traded to San Francisco. | There is a chance Jorge Polanco could share at time at shortstop as the team may want to give him regular at-bats after being called up from Triple-A, but Polanco will likely get a boost in playing time in any scenario in the final two months. |
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| Jul 11 2016 | Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and two runs overall in Sunday's 15-5 victory over the Rangers. | He found a way to inflict some damage despite hitting out of the nine-hole, launching his third homer of the season in the seventh off reliever Cesar Ramos with Kurt Suzuki aboard. The homer was Escobar's first since June 18 versus the Yankees, and he's now slashing .261/.286/.372 in a part-time role. |
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| Jul 7 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) lined out as a pinch hitter and then played second base in Thursday's win over Texas. | Escobar hadn't played since July 2 due to a sore hamstring. It looks like he'll avoid the DL and return to his backup role. He's lost the starting shortstop job to Eduardo Nunez and will get occassional starts at shortstop when Nunez plays third base. |
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| Jul 7 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) is out of the lineup Thursday against the Rangers, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reports. | Even though Escobar didn't come in to Wednesday's contest, he was available to pinch hit according to Twins GM Terry Ryan. Escobar will remain out for Thursday's game, which will mark his fifth straight game out of the lineup. |
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| Jul 6 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) remains out of the lineup Wednesday against the A's, Brandon Warne of Cold Omaha reports. | Wednesday will mark the fourth straight absence for Escobar, who continues to deal with a hamstring strain sustained during Saturday's game. The Twins are hoping he'll avoid a DL stint as the All-Star break approaches, so Escobar should be considered day-to-day until further notice. |
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| Jul 6 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) will be available off the bench for Wednesday's game against Oakland, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Escobar has missed the last four games with a strained hamstring, but the fact that he will be available is a good sign that he will avoid the DL. He should still be considered day-to-day in advance of a four-game series against the Rangers that starts Thursday. |
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| Jul 5 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) remains out of the lineup Tuesday against the A's. | Make it three straight absences for Escobar, who suffered a hamstring strain on a slide into home plate early in Saturday's game. The Twins reportedly view the injury as a day-to-day concern, but it's uncertain if Escobar will be available in any capacity for Wednesday's series finale. |
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| Jul 4 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) remains out of the lineup Monday against the Athletics, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | With Escobar still recovering from the hamstring issue and Trevor Plouffe (ribs) landing on the DL, the Twins are starting to get a little thin on the left side of the infield. Fortunately, Escobar's injury is being viewed as a day-to-day concern, so there's optimism that he'll be able to return within a few days. In the meantime, the Twins may have to settle for some sub-optimal defense at third base, as Miguel Sano will man the position Monday afternoon. |
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| Jul 3 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger reports. | A DL stint hasn't been ruled out for Escobar after he strained his hamstring during Saturday's game, but the Twins will wait and see how he responds to treatment before any decision is made on his status. Like Escobar, fellow reserve Danny Santana offers similar defensive versatility, so the Twins should have enough depth on hand to get by if Escobar remains unavailable for a few days. |
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| Jul 2 2016 | Escobar left Saturday's game with an undisclosed injury, LaVelle Neal of the Star Tribune reports. | Escobar came up limping after sliding into home early in Saturday's contest, but he was able to come back onto the field to take up his post at shortstop. However, it was clear that something was wrong in his next at-bat when he flew out and kept limping while running up the first base line. Danny Santana took over at shortstop in place of Escobar. The Twins will likely have a further update on Escobar's injury late Saturday. |
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| Jul 2 2016 | Escobar suffered a hamstring strain in Saturday's game against Texas. | Escobar was dealt the injury when he slid at home plate early in the game but he managed to return to the field for the back half of the inning. In his next at-bat, it was apparent the injury was a bit more serious as he limped to first base during a fly out, prompting his exit from the game. Depending on the severity of the hamstring strain -- details of which will likely be released Saturday night or Sunday -- the 27-year-old could be sidelined for a couple days or could be headed for a DL stint. |
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| Jul 1 2016 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers, Brandon Warne of Cold Omaha reports. | Eduardo Nunez will take over at short against lefty Martin Perez, pushing Escobar to the bench as he did Tuesday when the Twins faced a lefty. Escobar got the nod Thursday against lefty Carlos Rodon but went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. The switch-hitting Escobar has fared better against left-handed pitching overall than against righties to this point, but it looks like he will continue sit occasionally against opposing lefty starters. |
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| Jun 19 2016 | Escobar is starting at shortstop and batting sixth in the order Sunday against the Yankees, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | With five hits, including two homers over the last two games, Escobar will earn another starting nod Sunday. The return of Danny Santana from the DL will hurt Escobar's chances of remaining a regular in the lineup, but so long as he's hitting well, Escobar could be guaranteed frequent at-bats. |
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| Jun 18 2016 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI in Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Yankees. | The 27-year-old put together his second straight multi-hit game, and homered for the second consecutive contest as well. Escobar took closer Arnoldis Chapman deep in the ninth, raising his monthly average to .375 (9-for-24). His standout June has raised his season average 28 points to .272. |
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| Jun 17 2016 | Escobar started at shortstop and went 3-for-4 with his first home run of the season in Friday's loss to the Yankees. | Escobar is hitting .326 (15-for-46) since returning from the disabled list May 23. However, he's having a hard time finding consistent playing time due to Eduardo Nunez's hot season. Escobar has started just four of the last 15 games. |
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| Jun 6 2016 | Escobar started at shortstop and went 0-for-3 in Sunday's loss to Tampa Bay. He's started just three of Minnesota's last six games. | Escobar has lost the starting shortstop job to hot-hitting Eduardo Nunez. However, Nunez gets starts at second and third base, so Escobar should play in about every other game. Until Nunez slows down at the plate, Escobar will have a lesser role in the everyday lineup. |
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| May 31 2016 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the A's, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | He will sit for the second time in eight games since his return from a groin injury, as Eduardo Nunez takes over at shortstop. Escobar should continue to play regularly for Minnesota, but he's still without a home run through 34 games after launching 12 homers in 127 games a year ago. |
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| May 25 2016 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Tuesday's 7-4 loss to the Royals. | Escobar has delivered two strong games in a row since his return from the DL. He's notched five hits in eight at-bats while making back-to-back starts at shortstop. |
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| May 23 2016 | Escobar (groin) was officially activated from the disabled list Monday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | As expected, Escobar's groin is feeling good enough to warrant a return from the disabled list, allowing him to reclaim his spot as the primary shortstop for the Twins. To make room for him on the active roster, Jorge Polanco was optioned to Triple-A Rochester. |
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| May 23 2016 | Escobar (groin) will be activated from the disabled list Monday, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar played three rehab games with High-A Fort Myers over the weekend, and it appears that was all the Twins needed to see before adding him back to the active roster. The team figures to confirm Escobar's activation and announce the corresponding roster move at some point prior to Monday's matchup with the Royals. |
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| May 22 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) is 4-for-8 in two rehab games for High-A Fort Myers. | Barring a setback, Escobar looks set to be activated Monday from the 15-day DL. |
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| May 19 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) is set to begin a rehab assignment this weekend and could be activated from the DL on Monday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar should return as Minnesota's starting shortstop, but Eduardo Nunez may continue to get some starts at shortstop and there's a risk Escobar may not remain an everyday player. |
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| May 16 2016 | Escobar (hamstring) has started running and should be close to going out on a rehab assignment, LaVelle E. Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar went on the DL on May 7 and it sounds like he may only miss the minimum 15 days. Eduardo Nunez has taken over as the primary shortstop with Escobar hurt. |
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| May 7 2016 | Escobar (groin) was placed on the 15-day DL on Saturday, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reports. | As expected, Escobar will hit the DL after straining his groin during Friday night's game. Twins will call up Jorge Polanco from Triple-A, and he figures to team with Eduardo Nunez to handle most of the shortstop duties in Escobar's absence. |
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| May 6 2016 | Escobar (groin) is likely headed to the DL after getting injured in Friday's game, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | He left with a strained left groin, so it's not surprising that he will miss at least 15 days with the injury. Eduardo Nunez figures to get a good chunk of the playing time, but Jorge Polanco also figures to get the call from Triple-A to help out at shortstop while Escobar is out. |
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| May 6 2016 | Escobar exited Friday's tilt with the White Sox early due to a strained left groin, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | Escobar was 0-for-1 before leaving Friday's game. He was replaced in the lineup by Eddie Rosario. The severity if of Escobar's injury is currently unknown, but his status for Saturday's contest is certainly up in the air. Expect an update when more information becomes available. |
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| May 4 2016 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Escobar is sitting on a .245 batting average with only five extra-base hits and six RBI on the year. The greatest area for concern lies with his 22 strikeouts versus only five walks on the year. Even though he is known as a player that doesn't draw walks, he is not providing any pop or stolen bases (zero on the year) to the lineup either. Eduardo Nunez will start in Escobar's place on Wednesday, playing shortstop and batting ninth. |
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| Apr 30 2016 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Friday's 9-2 loss to the Tigers. | Like the majority of his teammates, the five-year veteran is struggling at the plate overall, slashing a mediocre .231/.277/.295 line on the season. Escobar has hit safely in seven of the last 10 contests however, providing some measure of consistency. While his five doubles currently have him tied with Joe Mauer and Brian Dozier for the team lead, he's been silent with the long ball this season after having launched 12 homers over 409 at-bats in 2015. |
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| Apr 27 2016 | Escobar is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Indians. | Escobar is fairly firmly ensconced as the team's starting shortstop; however, Eduardo Nunez's incredible start has forced his way into the lineup. On Wednesday, Escobar is the odd man out to make way for Nunez for the third time this season. Escobar is hitting .230 on the season, but has just one hit in his last 17 at-bats. |
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| Apr 17 2016 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Manager Paul Molitor will sit Escobar out for a second straight game with Eduardo Nunez thriving out of the gate this season, going 9-for-13 at the dish. With the Twins sitting on a 2-9 record through their first 11 games, expect Molitor to ride the hot hand between Nunez and Escboar while the team looks to facilitate more run production. |
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| Apr 16 2016 | Escobar is not in the lineup Saturday against the Angels, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | It looks like a routine day off for Escobar, who has been the regular starter at shorstop. The Twins will instead go with Eduardo Nunez on Saturday, and Nunez will bat in the leadoff spot. |
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| Apr 7 2016 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a double -- his fourth in three games -- and a run scored Thursday against the Twins. | Escobar's cleared 30 doubles in consecutive seasons already, and he's off to a fine start in his pursuit of accomplishing that for the third straight time. If last year's power improvement (he doubled his previous career high in homers with 12) can be sustained, he'll have value as a low-end starting shortstop in deeper mixed leagues. |
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| Apr 4 2016 | Escobar finished Monday's opener against the Orioles with a pair of doubles and an RBI. | The shortstop showed a little bit of pop last year for Minnesota and managed to do the same today. Escobar actually improved his power stroke after the All-Star break in 2015, mashing eight of his 12 homers and 19 of his 31 doubles after the Midseason Classic. For now, he's hitting seventh in the Twins' order. |
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| Mar 11 2016 | Escobar went 2-for-3 with a home run in Thursday's spring training win over Boston. He had left Tuesday's game after being struck by a hard hit foul ball. | Escobar looks fully healthy despite getting hit by the foul ball. Escobar looks set to begin the season as Minnesota's starting shortstop. |
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| Mar 8 2016 | Escobar appears to have avoided an injury after being struck by a foul ball, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar was removed from the game after taking a ball of his right forearm, but it sounds as though it was just as a precautionary measure. The 27-year-old figures to be the everyday option at shortstop going forward. |
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| Mar 8 2016 | Escobar left Tuesday's game after being struck by a hard hit foul ball, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Escobar was hit on his right forearm causing the Twins to pull him from the game, but early reports are that he is fine and it is nothing serious. It is still worth monitoring his situation over the next couple days just to be safe. |
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| Jan 24 2016 | Escobar has earned the starting shortstop job for the Twins, manager Paul Molitor told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. | After his 2014 breakout season, Escobar was surprisingly moved to a utility role in favor of Danny Santana at shortstop last spring. However, he reclaimed the starting job when Santana faltered. Escobar enters spring training this year as the clear favorite for the everyday job. |
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| Jan 15 2016 | Escobar agreed to a one-year, $2.15 million deal with the Twins on Friday, avoiding arbitration. | Escobar will see a substantial pay raise this season after earning $532K in 2015. He bounced around four different defensive positions last season but has a good shot at landing the every day shortstop role in spring training. |
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| Sep 30 2015 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Game 1 of a doubleheader Wednesday against the Indians. | While Escobar will take the first game off Wednesday, it seems likely he'll receive the start for the second contest while others rest. Eduardo Nunez will replace him at shortstop and bat seventh for the Twins. |
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| Sep 26 2015 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a triple, homer, three RBI and two runs scored in a 6-2 victory over the Tigers. | The standout night was an extension of an impressive September for Escobar, who is now hitting .314 with four homers and an impressive 16 RBI during the month. The 26-year-old has also hit safely in five out of the last six contests, with three multi-hit outings during that span and eight overall for the month. Escobar has provided some solid offensive production out of the shortstop position for the Twins in 2015, with 30 doubles, four triples, 12 homers and a .268/.309/.459 line. |
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| Sep 19 2015 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader with the Angels, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Eduardo Nunez will take over at shortstop in place of Escobar, who went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in the Twins' Game 1 loss. |
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| Aug 28 2015 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with a walk in Friday's win over Houston. He's hitting .389 (14-for-36) with five doubles, four home runs and 10 runs scored in his last nine games. | Escobar has started the last six games at shortstop as he's taken over the starting job after splitting time early in August with Eduardo Nunez after Danny Santana was sent to the minors. |
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| Aug 20 2015 | Escobar had an offensive renaissance out of the nine-hole Thursday, going 3-for-5 with a double, a homer, two RBI and two runs. | It's actually his second three-hit game in the last three days, but Escobar had just two hits in the eight games preceding this stretch. This was a precious rare contribution for him in the power department -- just his 14th career homer in 347 games -- and he doesn't offer much speed either, with just six steals in his career. All in all, Escobar isn't offering fantasy owners much. |
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| Aug 16 2015 | Escobar is out of the lineup Sunday against the Indians, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar will rest in favor of Eduardo Nunez at shortstop for the third time in the last five games (although he did get the start at second base Friday). Escobar has seen close to everyday playing time in August, but only has a .222/.333/.333 slash line to show for it. |
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| Aug 4 2015 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays, according to Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. | Escobar will sit in favor of Eduardo Nunez after starting the last three games. The two will share the shortstop duties for the Twins moving forward, so neither should be expected to see everyday playing time. |
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| Jul 31 2015 | Escobar and Eduardo Nunez will share the starting shortstop job with both Danny Santana and Jorge Polanco sent to the minors Friday, manager Paul Molitor told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. | Escobar will likely get the bulk of starts as Nunez has started just 14 games at shortstop this season and Escobar is seen having the better glove. |
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| Jul 4 2015 | Escobar is out of the lineup Saturday in Kansas City, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar has put together a steady week of play, tallying a hit in five of six games en route to .400 average (6-for-15), one triple, two doubles, six RBI, and two runs scored. No matter, he'll take a seat Saturday in favor of Danny Santana, who will cover shortstop and bat ninth in the order. |
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| Jun 30 2015 | Escobar is out of the lineup Tuesday in Cincinnati, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | With Byron Buxton (thumb) on the disabled list, Escobar started each of the last three games in left field, going 3-for-7 with a home run and three walks. He should be in the lineup more often than not while Buxton is sidelined, but Shane Robinson may also pick up some of the at-bats. |
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| Jun 27 2015 | Escobar got the start in left field and went 1-for-3 Saturday with a three-run blast, his fourth home run of the season. | He'd been held out of the lineup in the previous four games, but with Byron Buxton (thumb) hitting the DL on Friday, Escobar found his way back into the starting nine. He's only slashing .243/.272/.384 on the season, but Escobar's defensive versatility should continue to get him at least semi-regular at-bats. |
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| Jun 10 2015 | Escobar is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals. | Escobar will head to the bench after starting three straight and eight of the team's last nine games. Jorge Polanco will get the nod at shortstop Wednesday, but with Danny Santana recently sent down, the door is open for Escobar to continue in a regular role. |
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| Jun 9 2015 | Escobar is starting at shortstop and batting eighth in Tuesday's game against the Royals, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Escobar went 2-for-3 Monday in the first game since Danny Santana was sent to Triple-A. | Escobar should take over as the regular shortstop with Santana sent to the minors. He has just a .620 OPS on the season but does own a .720 OPS through seven games this month. |
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| Jun 7 2015 | Escobar went 1-for-3 with an RBI triple in Sunday's 2-0 win over Milwaukee. | The 26-year-old, who now has a modest four-game hitting streak, will serve as the team's starting short stop in the wake of Danny Santana's Sunday demotion to the minor leagues. Escobar has produced meager counting stats in his limited action this season, however, and carries little fantasy value at the moment. |
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| May 31 2015 | Escobar is out of the lineup Sunday against the Blue Jays, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar's recent struggles (1-for-12 in last four games) at the dish likely led to a day of rest Sunday. He continues to see starts as a super-utility player around the infield, in left field, and as the designated hitter, and should sustain that role for the Twins. |
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| May 23 2015 | Escobar started at DH and went 1-for-2 with a walk in Friday's loss to the White Sox. | Minnesota's plan for the DH role isn't clear after Kennys Vargas was sent to Triple-A. It's most likely that DH will be a rotating mix of players but that Escobar will essentially become an everyday player and start at different positions. He could see a boost in playing time if no DH is called up from the minors in the near future. |
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| May 19 2015 | Escobar is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Pirates, LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar has drawn eight consecutive starts as he's given manager Paul Molitor a flexible option in both the infield and outfield, but he'll get what appears to be a regular day off Tuesday. Shane Robinson will draw the start in left field and bat eighth in his stead. |
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| May 10 2015 | Escobar will man left field in Sunday's game against the Indians, marking his sixth start in seven games. | Escobar's sizzling bat and versatility has allowed him to squeeze into lineup in both the infield and corner outfield of late. He's produced a trio of three-hit performances in his last five starts while collecting a homer and nine RBI. |
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| May 3 2015 | Escobar is not in the lineup Sunday against the White Sox, Tyler Mason of Fox Sports North reports. | Escobar had made four straight starts in left field, but will take a seat Sunday in favor of Oswaldo Arcia. The move seems a bit odd at first glance with lefty John Danks on the mound for the White Sox, but no word of any potential injury has surfaced just yet. Escobar is 0-for-7 at the plate with two strikeouts in his last two games. |
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| Apr 26 2015 | Escobar started at shortstop and went 1-for-5 with a home run in Saturday's win over Seattle. | With Danny Santana struggling at the plate (.441 OPS) and in the field, there's a chance Escobar could take over the starting shortstop job before too long. He'll continue to be a utility player that the Twins try to get into the lineup several times per week in the meantime. |
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| Apr 19 2015 | Escobar (foot) is in Sunday's lineup against Cleveland at shortstop and batting eighth, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar was hit by a pitch in the foot in Friday's game, but appeared as a defensive replacement in Saturday's game, so he look back to full strength. He'll play shortstop with Danny Santana getting the day off. |
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| Apr 17 2015 | Escobar left Friday's game in the eighth inning after being hit by a pitch on his foot, Tyler Mason of FOX Sports North reports. | Escobar was replaced in Friday's game by Shane Robinson. The extent of his setback is uncertain, but expect an update on his status as more details become available. |
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| Apr 10 2015 | Escobar will miss one game Saturday due to the birth of a child, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar was offered to take three days off as part of the standard paternity list leave, but his fiancee insisted otherwise. He will fly back to the Twin Cities following Friday's contest, but will rejoin the team before Sunday's series finale against the White Sox. |
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| Apr 9 2015 | Escobar started in left field and went 1-for-3 in Thursday's loss to the Tigers. | Manager Paul Molitor has said that Escobar will get starts in left field against tough left-handed starters to give Oswaldo Arcia some rest. It was a righty starter (Shane Greene) on the mound Thursday, so this was likely a way to get him a start early in the season. However, Molitor has said he'll find ways to get Escobar regularly in the lineup in a utility role after a strong spring (.344 with four home runs and 20 RBI). |
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| Mar 28 2015 | Escobar will move to a utility role with Danny Santana named Minnesota's starting shortstop. He could also get spot starts in left field against tought left-handed pitchers, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar is having a strong spring by hitting .302 with three home runs, but it wasn't enough to overcome Minnesota's plans to move Santana back to shortstop. It sounds like Escobar could get somewhat regular at-bats off the bench. There's also a chance he's traded early in the season as there have been reports other teams have asked the Twins about his availability this spring. |
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| Mar 18 2015 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with a grand slam in Tuesday's spring training win over Baltimore. He's hitting .364 (8-for-22) this spring and the Twins are getting trade inquiries with Escobar headed for a utility role, ESPN 1500 am Twin Cities reports. | Escobar is in competition with Danny Santana for the starting shortstop job, but all indications so far are that Santana will win the role and Escobar will move to a utility role. It seems unlikely the Twins would trade Escobar before the start of the season, but his fantasy value could improve if he moves to another club and lands a starting job. |
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| Jan 28 2015 | Escobar and Danny Santana will compete for Minnesota's starting shortstop job this spring, manager Paul Molitor told MLB.com. | The Twins sound committed to moving Santana from center field back to shortstop, where he played in the minors. If Santana wins the job, Escobar would likely move to a utility role. However, it's not clear who the Twins would start in center field, so it's possible no center field candidate emerges as worthy of everyday playing time and Santana stays in the outfield. Escobar could see a reduction in playing time depending how the competition shapes up this spring. |
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| Sep 23 2014 | Escobar (shoulder) entered Monday's game as a pinch runner and singled in his only at-bat. | Escobar had been out since Sept. 16 due to a sore shoulder, but was able to hit and play second base. He should return to the starting lineup Tuesday. |
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| Sep 22 2014 | Escobar (shoulder) took some swings Sunday and said he felt good, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | He could return Monday. If not, it sounds like he will play again in the final week of the season. |
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| Sep 22 2014 | Escobar (shoulder) is not in the lineup Monday, Fox Sports North's Tyler Mason reports. | He took some swings and said he felt better Sunday, but the Twins will hold him out for at least one more day. Danny Santana will get the start at shortstop Monday. |
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| Sep 20 2014 | Escobar (shoulder) is out of the lineup again Saturday, LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | The jammed right shoulder, suffered on a diving attempt at short Tuesday, will keep Escobar out of the lineup for a third straight game. He did work out to about 100 feet while playing catch with a trainer Saturday morning, though a return for Sunday's series finale is far from certain. |
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| Sep 20 2014 | Escobar (shoulder) is not expected to play until Tuesday at the earliest, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Whereas Escobar thinks he'll be able to play by Monday, manager Ron Gardenhire said it's not likely, given the fact that Escobar can't even high five his teammates. Danny Santana is making another start at short Saturday. |
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| Sep 19 2014 | Escobar (shoulder) remains out of the lineup Friday against the Indians, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Escobar will miss a second straight start with the jammed right shoulder, suffered on a diving attempt at short during the fourth inning of Tuesday's game. His status for the remainder of the weekend series is uncertain, but look for Danny Santana to continue manning short until Escobar is cleared to return. |
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| Sep 17 2014 | Escobar (shoulder) is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Tigers, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | A diving attempt at short Tuesday left Esocbar with a jammed right shoulder, and he'll miss at least one start as a result of the injury. Eduardo Nunez will draw the start in his absence. Escobar will be afforded another day to rest with the team off Thursday, but a return for Friday's opener against Cleveland is far from certain. |
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| Sep 16 2014 | Escobar left Tuesday's game against the Tigers with a jammed right shoulder, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. | Eduardo Nunez came into the game at short, after Escobar hurt himself on a diving attempt in the fourth inning. Consider Escobar, who singled off Rick Porcello in his lone at-bat of the contest, day-to-day and questionable to play in Wednesday's series finale. |
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| Sep 11 2014 | Escobar is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader with the Indians, LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Escobar received the nod at shortstop in the early tilt, going 1-for-3. He's continued to hold down a respectable .273 average for the season, but the absence of home runs (five) and stolen bases (one) has made his fantasy production rather lukewarm. Eduardo Nunez will cover shortstop for Escobar in the final game of the series. |
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| Sep 4 2014 | Escobar is out of the lineup Thursday against the Angels, Tyler Mason of FOX Sports North reports. | Escobar broke out of his recent offensive slumber with a three-hit, two-RBI performance Wednesday vs. the White Sox, but he'll still be given the day off. Eduardo Nunez will fill in at shortstop. |
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| Aug 31 2014 | Escobar is not in the lineup Sunday against the Orioles, Mike Bernardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Thursday's benching did little to spark Escobar, who returned to the lineup the last two games and went 0-for-7. He's now failed to record a hit in his last six games, and could lose out on more frequent at-bats to Eduardo Nunez in September if he fails to get out of the slump. |
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| Aug 28 2014 | Escobar is out of the lineup Thursday against the Royals, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | With Escobar going 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts over his last four games, he'll get a day out of the field to ease his mind. Eduardo Nunez will take over at shortstop Thursday. |
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| Aug 22 2014 | Escobar went 5-for-6 with three runs scored and two RBI against the Tigers on Friday, while hitting his fourth home run of the season in blowout win. | Not known for his bat, Escobar (.282/.324/.413) raised his batting average in one night from .272 to .282. Although Escobar has gone 8-for-14 over his last three games, don't expect any sort of consistency to be built moving forward. |
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| Aug 21 2014 | Escobar is not in the lineup Thursday versus the Indians, Fox Sports North's Tyler Mason reports. | It looks to be only a scheduled day off for Escobar, who's started the past four games. The Twins will go with Danny Santana at shortstop, while Jordan Schafer slots in at center field. |
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| Aug 16 2014 | Escobar isn't in the lineup Saturday versus the Royals, LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | Since his last absence on Aug. 8, Escobar has failed to gather a hit on just one occasion, reeling off a .333 average (7-for-21) with five doubles and three runs scored. He'll yield shortstop to Danny Santana, who is leading off. |
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| Jul 23 2014 | Escobar is out of the lineup Wednesday vs. the Indians, MLB.com reports. | Escobar had started all five of the Twins' games since the All-Star break, so he'll just be receiving a breather Wednesday, with the team playing a day game after a night game. Eduardo Nunez will cover shortstop in his stead. |
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| Jul 12 2014 | Escobar went deep for the third time this season with a solo shot as part of a 2-for-5 outing against the Rockies on Saturday. | The infielder also plated a pair of runs in the win. In 251 at-bats this season, Escobar has a .263 average, 19 RBI and 29 runs to go along with the aforementioned three homers. Impressively, over a third of his hits (24-of-66) are doubles. |
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| Jul 6 2014 | Escobar is out of the lineup Sunday against the Yankees, Tyler Mason of FOX Sports North reports. | Escobar mustered just two hits in 11 at-bats over the first three games of the series, prompting manager Ron Gardenhire to give Eduardo Nunez a look at shortstop Sunday. Neither player has much of an inspiring track record on the offensive end, so look for Gardenhire to ride whichever infielder demonstrates the hotter bat over the next several games. |
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| Jun 30 2014 | Escobar is out of the lineup Monday versus the Royals, Tyler Mason of FOX Sports North reports. | With Eduardo Nunez activated from the DL, Escobar will hand over shortstop Monday, but his positional versatility should keep him in the lineup most days. |
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| Jun 13 2014 | Escobar was 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in the Twins win over Detroit on Friday night. | It was just his second home run but he now has 14 RBI to go with a steady .309 average since taking over the everyday shortstop job. He played second base in this one, filling in for Brian Dozier who is suffering from a stiff back, but Dozier is expected back soon and he will likely move back to the left side of the infield when he returns. |
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| Jun 11 2014 | Escobar is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Blue Jays, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger reports. | It looks like Escobar is just getting the day off Wednesday, after starting in each of the last 19 games. After Pedro Florimon was a major disappointment offensively as the Opening Day shortstop, Escobar has given some much needed stability to the position. He enters Wednesday's game with a .301 batting average, though his typically low placement in the order makes run-scoring and RBI opportunities hard to come by. |
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| Jun 6 2014 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in Friday's loss to the Astros. | Escobar has been giving the Twins steady production, owning a .315 batting average on the year. His lone home run and 11 RBI aren't turning any heads, but after starting 15 straight games, he's solidified himself as a serviceable fantasy option in deeper and AL-only formats. |
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| May 21 2014 | Escobar is not in the Twins' lineup Wednesday against the Padres, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Danny Santana is getting a rare start at shortstop, but Escobar should be back in the lineup soon, as he's hitting a blistering .337 while slugging .506 so far this season. |
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| May 14 2014 | Escobar started at shortstop and went 1-for-4 in Tuesday's win over Boston. It was his second consecutive start at shortstop. | It looks like Escobar is going to get the bulk of playing time at shortstop with Pedro Florimon sent to Triple-A, but the presence of Danny Santana and Eduardo Nunez could keep his playing time unsettled. However, it looks like Santana may play in center field and Nunez as a spot starter at multiple positions. |
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| May 8 2014 | Escobar will make his first career start in center field Thursday against the Indians, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Sam Fuld was scratched and is being evaluated for a concussion, necessitating Escobar's move to center field. The 25-year-old has rather modest speed and certainly could be a liability Thursday, but it will likely be just a one-off appearance, as Aaron Hicks (concussion) appears close to a return. |
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| May 6 2014 | Escobar went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Indians. He was the only Twin to post a multi-hit game. | That's six games in a row with at least one hit for the shortstop, who has gone 10-for-21 with four RBI in that span and is now batting .348 in 46 at-bats this season. |
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| May 2 2014 | Escobar will serve as the Twins' primary shortstop, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | With Pedro Florimon struggling at the plate, Escobar has started five of the last six games (including Friday's) at shortstop. Twins assitant GM Rob Antony confirmed the change Friday, though Florimon will likely have a shot to win the job back before the end of the season, if he can get things straightened out. |
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| Apr 30 2014 | Escobar started at shortstop and went 4-for-4 with two RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Dodgers. | With Pedro Florimon struggling at the plate (hitting just .115) and Eduardo Nunez still dealing with a oblique injury at Triple-A, Escobar may have shot to win regular playing time in the near term if he stays hot. |
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| Apr 3 2014 | Escobar is starting at shortstop and batting ninth in the lineup in Thursday's game against the White Sox, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Pedro Florimon gets a day off as a result. Escobar will be the primary utility infielder for the Twins this season, but may not get many starts. |
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| Mar 15 2014 | Escobar had a pinch-hit double in Saturday's spring training tie with the Mets and he's hitting .333 (7-for-21) this spring. He's the leading candidate for the utility infield job, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar is batting Jason Bartlett, who is 0-for-23 at the plate this spring. Escobar may win the job, but he's an unexciting fantasy option. He doesn't draw walks, has little power or speed and even his glove wasn't impressive by advanced fielding metrics (-3.9 fWAR in fielding and negative UZR numbers at every position). |
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| Sep 8 2013 | Escobar was recalled from Triple-A Rochester. | He'll serve as a utility infielder and may not get much playing time. He was hitting .307 with four home runs at Triple-A. |
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| Jul 14 2013 | Escobar was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar will head to Rochester after batting a meager .214/.268/.328 over 131 at-bats while serving in a utility infield role for the Twins. The 24-year-old has shown negligible power and poor on-base skills both in the majors and minors, making his fantasy prospects largely uninteresting. |
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| Jun 2 2013 | Escobar is starting at third base and hitting leadoff Sunday against the Mariners, MLB.com reports. | Escobar and Jamey Carroll have split starts at third base with Trevor Plouffe on the DL, but Escobar has started for two consecutive games. It's possible Escobar could take over the bulk of playing time if he gets hot at the plate. |
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| May 15 2013 | After a few days off, Escobar hit his second home run of the season Wednesday, a solo shot off of Dylan Axelrod. | Escobar is hitting .298 this season, but has struggled mightily this May, going just 3-for-20. Even when Escobar is hitting well, he offers little in the way of power and speed for owners. |
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| Apr 10 2013 | Escobar went 3-for-4 with a run scored, a home run and two RBI against the Royals on Tuesday. | Though on the 25-man roster because of his glove and versatility in the field, Escobar has been making some noise with the bat early on and is 5-for-9 in his last two starts. He had a game-winning double a few nights ago and now has a home run to go with it. He'll likely continue this off-the-bench role for a little while longer, but if he continues to to out-hit Pedro Florimon, he could work his way into quite a number of starts at shortstop. |
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| Apr 3 2013 | Coming in as a late-inning defensive replacement, Escobar came to bat in the bottom of the ninth and hit a game-winning, two-run double to lead the Twins past the Tigers 3-2 Wednesday. | Escobar won a spot as a utility infielder late this spring thanks to his glove, but he did actually bat .333 over 36 spring at-bats too so he is showing some life with the stick. He doesn't have much in the way of fantasy value, but could work his way into more playing time if he continues to play at this level. |
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| Mar 17 2013 | Although Escobar doesn't appear a candidate for a starting job, he looks like a lock to win a utility role with the Twins based on his strong play with the glove this spring, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. | Escobar is hitting .333 (12-for-36) this spring. His value will mostly come with the glove as he offers little power or speed for fantasy purposes. |
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| Sep 29 2012 | Escobar left Friday's win over Detroit in the eighth inning after being hit with a pitch in the left elbow, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | X-rays on the injury were negative, but he'll have more tests Saturday. He may not play again this season as a result. |
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| Sep 4 2012 | Escobar is starting at shortstop in Tuesday's game at Chicago, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | There's a chance Escobar gets an extended trial at shorstop or second base in September as the Twins evaluate him for next season. Unfortunately, he hasn't hit much the past year - including just .217/.259/.304 at Rochester since coming to the Twins in a trade from the White Sox. |
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| Sep 3 2012 | Escobar was recalled from Triple-A Rochester and will join the Twins for Monday's game, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. | He hit just .217/.259/.304 at Rochester, but the Twins may give him an extended audition at second base or shortstop in September to see where he fits into the team's 2013 plans. |
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| Apr 9 2012 | Escobar went 1-for-4 with a triple Sunday against the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The triple, which was the first in Escobar's brief MLB career, showed off his impressive wheels. His playing time could grow in the coming weeks if starting third baseman Brent Morel continues to look lost at the plate (currently 0-for-8). Escobar should also see time at second and short this season. |
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| Apr 8 2012 | Escobar is starting at third for the White Sox on Sunday, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar takes over for Brent Morel, who has yet to record a hit this year in two starts. His Triple-A numbers do not inspire confidence: he hit just .266/.303/.354 last season. |
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| Mar 27 2012 | Escobar appears to have the inside edge on the White Sox's final bench spot, the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The White Sox sent Dan Johnson and Dallas McPherson to minor league camp Tuesday, which cleared the major competition for the job. Escobar could have some value in deeper leagues if he replaces Gordon Beckham at second, but it looks like Escobar will start the year as a glove man. Assuming he beats out Ray Olmedo for the final infield spot, then Escobar should see a start or two per week around the horn. |
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| Feb 23 2012 | Escobar could win a reserve infield job in spring training, the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar showed an MLB-ready glove during his brief stint with the White Sox last season, but his on-base skills are in need of improvement (.315 career OBP in six minor league seasons). If he does win a job, it will be because of his glove and not his bat. |
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| Sep 13 2011 | Escobar went 1-for-1 after serving as a defensive replacement for Alexei Ramirez in a blowout loss to Detroit. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The White Sox could give him a start or two in the season's waning days now that they are all but eliminated from the playoff chase. |
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| Sep 11 2011 | Escobar has yet to start a game for the White Sox since his September 2 recall. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His pinch-running Saturday served as his fourth game appearance, but he owns just three at-bats (and one hit) over those four games. He could play a bit more regularly now that the Sox are out of it, but his ceiling is fairly low. |
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| Sep 2 2011 | The White Sox called up Escobar on Friday, according to the team's official Twitter page. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Escobar is only an average hitter, but he's a decent defensive infielder who could see some time at shortstop now that Brent Lillibridge is playing almost exclusively as a first baseman. |
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| Mar 15 2011 | The White Sox optioned Escobar to Triple-A Charlotte on Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He failed to impress at the plate in his first big league camp, posting a .190/.217/.238 line in 21 Cactus League at-bats. |
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