Brewers Add All-Star Eduardo Escobar in Trade With Diamondbacks

The Brewers have reportedly acquired All-Star infielder Eduardo Escobar in a trade with the Diamondbacks, the team announced Wednesday. Minor leaguers Cooper Hummel and Alberto Ciprian are the players heading to Arizona.

ESPN's Jeff Passan and Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reported on the trade earlier.

Escobar, 32, made his first career All-Star team this year and is hitting .246/.300/.478 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs in 98 games. He is in the final year of a three-year, $21 million contract and will be a free agent this offseason.

Escobar has split time at second and third base this season, but will likely see most of his time at the hot corner with Milwaukee. Third baseman Travis Shaw has been out since June with a dislocated shoulder and was underperforming when he was in the lineup. Luis Urías, his primary replacement, has hit .237/.333/.416 in 95 games but has spent most of his career playing in the middle infield.

Hummel, 26, is hitting .254./435/.508 at Triple-A and has a 24.4% walk rate. He primarily plays left field but began his career mostly at catcher. Ciprian is an 18-year-old infielder who has spent the 2021 season at the Brewers' rookie affiliate.

The Brewers have surged to first place in the NL Central thanks in part to their acquisition of shortstop Willy Adames, who was acquired in a trade from the Rays in May. In 57 games with Milwaukee, Adames is hitting .291/.384/.529 with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs. Milwaukee now hopes Escobar will have a similar effect.