Brett Baty is headed to the Mets, reportedly being called up Monday for the Mets’ upcoming series against the Dodgers, and that likely means limited to no playing time for Eduardo Escobar.
For many fans, it’s a long time coming, as Baty had a huge spring (.325 average, .885 OPS) and was tearing up Triple-A (.400/.500/.886 slash line, 5 HR, 15 RBI in nine games) this season while Escobar was hitting .125 with one dinger through 14 games.
Somehow, GM Billy Eppler said Baty still had some development to do, but that’s either done or going to happen at the MLB level, and even Evan Roberts said on the latest Rico Brogna podcast that Baty forced the Mets’ hand.
And yet, even as he’s likely losing his starting job, Escobar is all about Baty joining the Mets and helping the team in any way he can.
"He deserves everything he’s getting right now, now that he’s getting called up. He’s put in the work. He deserves to come up here and play and do what he does, because he’s that good of a player,” Escobar told Newsday’s Tim Healey through a translator Sunday. “He's the future of this team. Hopefully he can come up here and help the team, because we need him.”
Even if, in this case, it means his own playing time is diminished.
“This isn’t the first time it’s happened in my career, where the team has asked me to do multiple things during a season. I’m happy to do that," Escobar said. "If Buck brings me into the office and tells me, I want you to play this position or I want you to hit here in the lineup, I don’t have a problem."
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Escobar has played all four infield spots and left field in his career, getting another crash course in the latter during WBC workouts. As a switch-hitter, he can also be a complement to Daniel Vogelbach, who is also underwhelming this season, at DH against lefties, and his ability to play second especially allows Jeff McNeil to move to the outfield so one of the three starters out there can get some DH run, too.
Baty has also been getting some outfield time, so the Mets have some flexibility in whatever they do with both players.
Where and how much Escobar will play remains to be seen, but it’s clear from his words that his most important focus is winning – and if Baty gives them a better chance, so be it.
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