As we enter Thursday, the phone lines across all the front offices around the league are getting busier and busier as contenders try to build the best team possible come playoff time, while sellers take this opportunity to rebuild for the future.
Let’s look at the latest trades around the MLB, including the Eduardo Escobar acquisition.
Milwaukee Brews a Trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Milwaukee Brewers struck a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks to bring in veteran infielder Eduardo Escobar, who was selected for the All-Star game this year. The 32-year-old veteran can play anywhere in the middle and left side of the infield. The Brewers have struggled with the bats and needed some help with a lot of key pieces on the IL.
The D’Backs will be receiving catcher Cooper Hummel and third baseman Alberto Ciprian in the deal. The Brewers have always had a strong pitching rotation, especially when talking about the bullpen.
The impending free agent was not going to cost the Brewers a fortune, and he performed well on the league’s worst club. He had a slash line of .246/.300/.478 with 22 home runs in 400 plate appearances this year. Escobar’s best season was in 2019 where he hit 35 home runs, 10 triples and batted in 118 RBIs.
Escobar may not walk a lot at the plate, but he is a tough batter to strike out. His strengths revolve around power. His versatility allows players like Willy Adames and Luis Urias to still get enough playing time. Kolten Wong will most likely handle most of the workload at second base.
The infield may not be the biggest need for the Brewers at this moment, but if they can make their team better. The Brewers can use another bat wherever he plays.
The Brewers may now shift their efforts into bringing in Trevor Story to complement Escobar and Christian Yelich (On Covid-19 injured list). Story would not forage the Brewers farm system as well because he is also an impending free agent come this winter.
The Milwaukee Brewers struck a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks to bring in veteran infielder Eduardo EscobarGallo Going to the Yankees
Joey Gallo was scratched from tonight’s lineup for the Texas Rangers as he was dealt to the New York Yankees. Gallo will be under contract for one more season, which implies that the Yankees are going for it this season as the Yankees traded away both Justin Wilson and Luis Cessa to the Cincinnati Reds.
The power-hitting left-handed outfielder will be another threat to the lineup as there is no one opposing pitchers can pitch around when the lineup is fully healthy. He is the biggest threat on the left side of the plate as the Yankees exert to a heavily right-handed lineup.
Gallo has a slash line of .223/.379/.490 with 25 home runs across 388 at-bats this year. Gallo may be prone to striking out a lot, but his 19.1 percent walk rate and his .379 on-base percentage are career-highs for him this season. Also, only Aaron Judge has a higher wRC+ this year.
It has been known for several weeks that the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres were the favorites to land the 2x All-Star. Gallo expressed his interest in wanting to stay with the Rangers, but unfortunately, business in the sports world does not always work out that way.
With an extra year on his contract, reports have shown that Gallo, alongside left-handed pitcher John King, will be heading to New York for a big haul of prospects, which include shortstop Josh Green (ranked 14), Ezequiel Duran (no.15), second baseman/outfielder Trevor Hauver (no.23), and right-hander Glenn Otto (No.28) according to MLB.com as part of the deal. Other prospects may be part of the deal, as medical reviews are pending.
