Winter Meetings: Angels add Yunel Escobar in trade with Nationals
The Angels have added infielder Yunel Escobar in a trade with the Nationals, CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman reports.
By
Mike Axisa
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1 min read
The Angels have added infielder Yunel Escobar in a trade with the Nationals, reports CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman. Heyman says righty reliever Trevor Gott and an unknown minor leaguer are heading to Washington in the trade.
Escobar, 33, hit .314/.375/.415 (113 OPS+) with 25 doubles and nine home runs for the Nats in 2015. He played third base exclusively after spending the previous seven years of his career as a shortstop. Escobar is a career .281/.350/.385 (100 OPS+) hitter and a slick fielder.
The Halos acquired Andrelton Simmons to play short earlier this offseason and David Freese is a free agent, so Escobar figures to step in at third base. They do have a need at second though, so they could still bring Freese back and move Escobar to second. Plenty of options.
The Nationals, meanwhile, can now move Anthony Rendon to third base full-time, his natural position. Danny Espinosa could step in as the everyday second baseman, or they could pursue a free agent like Daniel Murphy or Howie Kendrick.
More importantly, the deal shows Washington is comfortable with youngster Trea Turner taking over as the everyday shortstop. Escobar was the obvious backup plan at the position. Turner is the shortstop of the present and future with Ian Desmond likely to leave as a free agent.
Gott, 23, had a 3.02 ERA (125 ERA+) in 47 2/3 innings in 2015, his MLB debut. He struck out only 27 batters but did use his heavy mid-to-upper-90s sinker to generate a healthy 57.2 ground ball rate. Gott will join Washington's middle relief crew. He can't become a free agent until after 2021.
Escobar is owed $7 million in 2016 with a $7 million club option for 2017. It's a fair salary and shouldn't prevent the Angels from doing anything on the free agent market. The Nationals do shed some cash they can redirect to do a free agent.
