Brewers acquire Eduardo Escobar from Diamondbacks

[clancyphile]

I'm guessing that Hummel's 84 games of catching experience weren't going to make the Brewers just find their all star .850 OPS catcher to be obsolete.

 

Maybe... but I envisioned at least a Mickey Tettleton-type usage - part-time catcher at least, but able to catch for an extended period. He clearly hadn't had too much rust, as this year showed.

[CheeseheadInQC]

Escobar is a good pickup, but giving up the six years Hummel was going to provide for the Crew is going to be something that we're going to regret down the road. Hummel could have been a cheap replacement or Garcia next year, part of a longer-term solution at first. Heck, he could even have helped spell Narvaez with a bat much better than Pina's. Or, he could have made Narvaez a trade commodity - again, a cheap option, especially given Feliciano's lost season and Henry's vanishing power stroke.

 

The problem is, given where the Brewers have played him the past two seasons (2019, 2021), it seems they view him as an emergency catcher only who would be an option next year in left field (don't think they are moving Yelich to right at this point), DH (if it comes to the NL) and 1B (if the experiment went well). He would have been more competition for Vogelbaugh's roster spot than a Garcia replacement.

 

Like I said in the minor league thread, I've come around to him likely having a big league future, but I'm thinking more Yandy Diaz if you substitute LF for third base as that half of his position split.

[tigerbrew]

According to Dback fans, Eduardo Escobar is the team's best player. Looks like it's a good trade for the Brewers.

 

 

[adambr2]

I'm shocked the return was so light. Joc Pederson brought back a decently better return.

[Jenkins5]

To me, I’m treating this trade like a wake & just here to give me condolences to Clancy…. I know how much Hummel meant to you.

 

Lot of people were throwing around Escobar in off season and last year so kudos to them. He was an all star, has hit bunch of bombs, and fills a hole for us. I don’t think he is elite guy who can really blow top off on this offense but he is a higher level guy who if hot at right Tim can really help out.

 

Overall, (sorry Clancy) we gave up peanuts for him so even if it doesn’t work out… nothing lose

[tigerbrew]

David Stearns on the Eduardo Escobar trade

 

[JohnBriggs12]

The guys affected by this deal aren't Shaw or Hiura or Reyes. Those guys weren't in the picture before this. This trade affects two guys. Obviously it affects Urias, but not in any long term way. He reverts back to number one utility player for a couple months then goes into 2022 as the primary 3B. Given what's at stake, they preferred Escobar's experience going into the postseason in 2021, but Urias will play plenty as guys get days off and he's shown he's better when pressure is eased. The big loser here is Jace Peterson. Stearns probably realized that he got everything possible and more out of Peterson and he was starting to revert to the marginal major league player he's been all of his career. The last roster spot will come down to Shaw or Peterson.

[SandyTolan]

The most amazing thing about the Escobar deal is how little the Brewers gave up. Many of us (me included) were willing to consider giving up significant prospect capital to land a Bryant, Mancini, Gallo. But Cooper Hummel and Alberto Ciprion for a guy that immediately becomes the Brewers' top slugger, can slot him right into the 5 hole and play him all around the diamond, including according to Stearns 1B (even though he has no MLB experience there)? This is amazing. I think they're done getting hitters. Unless they deal for another C and release Manny, but I think that'd be ill-advised for team dynamics. Maybe another reliever or a Jon Gray type, allowing Houser to be that reliever upgrade...

[StearnsFTW]

Cooper Hummel has been freed!

 

Yeah, but not the way I was hoping...

 

Unless Escobar extends, I think this rental is going to be about as bad as the Garrett Cooper dump over the long haul.

 

So, pretty much irrelevant?

 

I agree.

 

Although I'm guessing Escobar will be a hell of a lot more helpful than Ty Webb.

[jjfanec]

Escobar will be a great dh in the world series too

[StearnsFTW]

Really like the trade. Got some great versatility and a seasoned veteran for nothing that matters this year or likely the next 5 years. Ciprion may develop, and that's fine, but this really helps this year's team.

 

Now go get a couple arms and start preparing for October.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

This deal is nothing short of amazing. Not that Hummel and Ciprion are total nothingburgers, but Hummel is a 26-year-old without a true defensive position who doesn't really have enough power to justify a lack of defense. He'll probably play in the majors, but will always be the type a team is trying to replace. No idea on Ciprion. He has looked good in rookie league, but is a lottery ticket in the truest sense of the term.

 

What the Brewers are getting in Escobar is a player that checks nearly every single box where this team has fallen short. Power? Check. Ability to hit lefties? Check. Ability to play multiple positions? Check. Plus the guy is known as an incredible teammate and clubhouse presence.

 

I expect that the Brewers will likely grab another starter (Gray and Gibson are strong possibilities), and probably another reliever. It seems that pitching is demanding better returns than hitters are, though, so who knows? With the market down on hitters, perhaps they'll continue to explore that market? Still plenty of bats out there that would be a fit and lengthen this roster.

[MrTPlush]

Not a game changer for the roster, but a rally solid and valuable pick up for the team. Consider we gave up nothing of value to us, pretty good.

 

The teams must have used the trade simulator/value site though, perfect $2.7mil for $2.7mil trade.

[IIAY]

Let's not underestimate the fact that in addition to adding a switch-hitting power bat that can play almost any position, Escobar is by all accounts (like Adames) a great teammate and source of energy. For those with a subscription to The Athletic, here as an article from a few weeks ago:

 

https://theathletic.com/2700974/2021/07/13/shamu-fogo-power-and-lobster-why-eduardo-escobar-is-every-diamondbacks-favorite-teammate/

 

A few select quotes:

 

Arizona’s other players may have had teammates they loved, but no one they loved quite like they love Escobar. “You look at Eddie and he makes you smile,” says catcher Carson Kelly. Rojas — ahem, Marty the Zebra — says Escobar is always there to “lift you up from the depths.” “You need to be around positive people,” adds catcher Stephen Vogt. And they don’t make them more positive than Escobar.

 

He’ll leave a lasting impression on his teammates. This past Friday, Lovullo popped out of the visiting dugout at about 2 p.m., five hours before the team’s game at Dodger Stadium. There was Escobar, sitting with three rookies in the dugout. He was imparting wisdom, something Escobar considers to be his sacred duty. The same had been done for him as a rookie with the White Sox in 2011.

 

“Everything that I’ve learned, I’m passing that on,” he says. “One day when they become veterans, they’re going to pass it on to the youngsters as well. It’s a cycle.”

[Outlander]

As I said in the prospect thread, I think Hummel will have a nice major league career so glad he is getting the opportunity. With that said, it was a no brainer move to really help the team this year. It would be nice to get a solid bullpen arm or two for a similar price.

[xisxisxis]

This may be the best trade in the history of the Brewers. With one acquisition we may not have to see Shaw, Hiura or Reyes again this year. That's like finding someone transferred a $1M into your bank account by accident and they won't take it back because it's laundered... Simply fantastic trade...

[Jopal78]

This may be the best trade in the history of the Brewers. With one acquisition we may not have to see Shaw, Hiura or Reyes again this year. That's like finding someone transferred a $1M into your bank account by accident and they won't take it back because it's laundered... Simply fantastic trade...

 

Maybe they'll find someone to take Hiura and we won't have to see him again ever!

[yoshii8]

I love it. We get a great clubhouse guy, a switch hitter that has big time power and can play 3b/ss/2b/OF and probably will be able to handle 1b if needed.

 

Plus we didn't give up a ton to get him, and he has a modest salary. Looking forward to a few more good moves by the Brewers FO by the deadline.

 

I'm not sure I've ever seen a more well rounded Brewers team, we have so much depth and talent.

[Zad Fnark]

Assuming he's playing tonight?

 

Can't wait.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Assuming he's playing tonight?

 

Can't wait.

 

Nope, not joining the team till Friday in Atlanta.

[rickh150]

Ok… lineups when all are healthy. Pretty exciting on one more good bat will do to a lineup…

Righty starter-

Wong 2B

Yelich LF

Escobar 3B

Garcia RF

Adames SS

Narvaez C

Rowdy 1B

Cain CF

P

Bench- JBJ, Urias, Peterson, Pina, Taylor

 

Lefty starter

Wong 2B

Escobar LF

Adames SS

Garcia RF

Peterson 1B

Narvaez C

Taylor CF

Urias 3B

[Zad Fnark]

Nope, not joining the team till Friday in Atlanta.

 

Thanks!

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Ok… lineups when all are healthy. Pretty exciting on one more good bat will do to a lineup…

Righty starter-

Wong 2B

Yelich LF

Escobar 3B

Garcia RF

Adames SS

Narvaez C

Rowdy 1B

Cain CF

P

Bench- JBJ, Urias, Peterson, Pina, Taylor

 

Lefty starter

Wong 2B

Escobar LF

Adames SS

Garcia RF

Peterson 1B

Narvaez C

Taylor CF

Urias 3B

 

They are going to keep riding Yelich, simply because they have to. This team likely goes nowhere if he doesn't pick things up. They aren't going to start platooning him.

[KeithStone53151]

Against a LH starter, Escobar will be playing 1b. I believe Stearns has come out and said as much. He has no experience at 1b but it sounds like they intend to try him there. Nothing has been explicitly stated besides that as far as I know, but I suspect he'll see some time at 3b as well and probably start a bit over half the games the rest of the way and PH whenever he isn't starting. I know Escobar can play 2b/ss, but Urias is a better defender and would probably take one of those spots if giving Adames/Wong a day off. Even Peterson is probably a better option for 2b than Escobar defensively.

[narwhalattack]

I'm a fan of this trade. Didn't really give up much and got a guy who could play corner IF and has some pop in his bat