If and when Carlos Correa’s deal is finalized, the Mets are reportedly expected to be actively shopping third baseman Eduardo Escobar in the trade market.
However, it appears as if the Mets may have had a chance to deal him already, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported this week that the Marlins inquired about Escobar earlier this offseason.
Escobar, who turned 34 Thursday, had a roller coaster of a season in his first year in New York. Overall, he hit .240 with a .726 OPS, 20 home runs, and 69 RBI, but he did most of that damage in September, when he was named National League Player of the Month.
Through August 31, Escobar was hitting .218 with 12 homers and 44 RBI in 106 games, but in 30 games in September/October, he slashed .321/.385/.596 with eight homers and 25 RBI. He did miss 11 days in late-August with an oblique issue, so perhaps full health was the catalyst for that final run.
Either way, dealing Escobar would clear up $9.5 million in actual money and $10 million in luxury tax payroll, as he is in the second year of a two-year, $20 million deal with a club option for 2024. That deal pays him $9.5 million this year and the option is $9 million with a $500K buyout, hence the $10 million luxury tax hit.
The Marlins did sign Jean Segura to a two-year deal with a 2025 option this week, so that may wane their interest in Escobar, as they still have Miguel Rojas, Joey Wendle, Jon Berti, and Jazz Chisholm in the infield mix as well, but Segura has played second base and shortstop the majority of his career (plus 24 games at third in 2020), while Escobar has been primarily a third baseman the last five years (with most of his other action at second base).
The Mets could also keep Escobar as an option to spell Correa or Jeff McNeil at second and as a DH candidate, as he is a switch-hitter whose platoon split is slightly better from the right side. Darin Ruf, who is currently the right side of a likely DH platoon with lefty Daniel Vogelbach, hit just .204 overall last year and .152 as a Met, so Escobar could be an upgrade there – and Ruf, who will make $3 million this year and has a $3.5M club option with a $250K buyout for 2024, might be easier to move.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
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