Eduardo Escobar Should Have Short Leash at Third Base For Mets
Opening Weekend was one to forget for infielder Eduardo Escobar, who went 1-for-16 at the plate with seven punch outs.
With top prospect Brett Baty waiting in the wings, Escobar should be on a short leash as the Mets' starting third baseman.
Escobar, 34, is in the second year of a two-year, $20 million pact he signed with the Mets in November of 2021.
Last year, Escobar appeared in 136 games for New York and logged a .240/.295/.430 triple slash and was worth 2.3 fWAR.
After a strong opening month where Escobar hit .253/.378/.427, he hit the skids through the summer until finishing on a high note in the final month, where he hit eight of his 20 home runs on the season.
The hope was that Escobar could roll that into this year, but so far that hasn't been the case. His woes from Spring Training, where he went just 4-for-34 at the plate, have translated into the regular season.
The Mets opted to start Baty at Triple-A despite a robust spring where he hit .325/.460/.425. That torrid start has continued with Syracuse, including a two home run game on Saturday, one of which was a grand slam.
A big knock on Baty has been his defense. While there is certainly growing to be done, Baty has made progress, including this heads up play on Sunday:
Escobar also struggled to the tune of -11 defensive runs saved and had -6 outs above average at third base in 1,108 2/3 innings in 2022, so it's not like the Mets would be supplanting a defensive-minded player at the hot corner.
This isn't meant to be a slight to Escobar, as he's still valuable to the team.
Escobar is in his 13th MLB season and that veteran presence is always important, especially when they have as infectious of a personality as he does. Beyond that, having a switch hitter who popped 20 home runs just last year would be a welcome addition to the bench that, at the moment, is largely starved of any power.
If everything pans out as the Mets are hoping they do, Baty is their third baseman of the future. Had New York signed Carlos Correa this past winter, it would make sense for Baty to be at Triple-A right now.
That didn't come to fruition as we all know, so the Mets could use another big bat in their lineup. With the way he's been playing, that could very well be Baty.
Escobar has experience playing all around the diamond. In fact, he has played every position at least once, including both pitcher and catcher. While he won't be coming out of the bullpen or suiting up behind the plate on a regular basis, that versatility gives New York a lot more flexibility off the bench.
So unless Escobar turns it around at the plate soon, or Baty really falls into a slump, the former's clock at third base should be ticking.
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