Mets Trade Eduardo Escobar to Angels, Receive Pitchers Coleman Crow, Landon Marceaux
June 23, 2023
The New York Mets have traded infielder Eduardo Escobar to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for minor league pitchers Coleman Crow and Landon Marceaux, the club announced Friday.
New York also sent cash considerations to L.A. in the deal.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets will pay 'all but the minimum' on Esobar's salary, which is $9.5 million for 2023.
eduardo jose escobar @escobardelapicaThanks to the Mets organization, thanks to the coaches, my teammates and especially the fans, an honor to play for the Mets, always with a lot of love, passion and, above all, respect, it's a sad day, but in the end, God always has control of everything, I feel proud of what I <a href="https://t.co/yYtcXA5QVH">pic.twitter.com/yYtcXA5QVH</a>
Escobar spent the last two years of his career with the Mets, mainly playing third base. He also saw time at second base and occasionally served as the team's designated hitter.
The 34-year-old had a solid 2022 season with the Mets, slashing .240/.295/.430 with 20 home runs and 69 RBI. He is also in the midst of a decent 2023 campaign, hitting .236/.286/.409 with four home runs, 16 RBI and two stolen bases in 40 games.
While Escobar was playing well for the Mets, he was easily movable for the franchise as he holds a club option for 2024 and was losing playing time to Brett Baty and Luis Guillorme.
General manager Billy Eppler commented on the deal, saying it has "no correlation" to the team's strategy at the trade deadline, per Tim Healey of Newsday.
Now former teammate Francisco Lindor discussed Escobar during an in-game interview Friday:
The Venezuelan should have an immediate impact for the Angels at third base with both Anthony Rendon and Gio Urshela on the 10-day injured list. Rendon is dealing with a wrist contusion and Urshela is expected to be out for the remainder of the season with a broken pelvis.
The Angels sit third in the AL West with a 41-35 record.
The Mets are getting two of L.A.'s top-20 prospects in Crow (No. 19) and Marceaux (No. 20).
Crow, 22, has spent the 2023 season playing for the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas. In four starts he is 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and 31 strikeouts in 24 innings. The Angels selected him in the 28th round of the 2019 draft.
Marceaux, 23, has also spent 2023 with the Trash Pandas. In 12 starts, he is 3-6 with a 4.88 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 59 innings. The Angels selected him in the third round of the 2021 draft.
The Mets are fourth in the NL East with a 34-40 record.
