The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired IF Eduardo Escobar from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for OF Cooper Hummel and IF Alberto Ciprian.
As the Brewers look to extend their seven game lead on the Reds for the NL Central and make noise in the playoffs, they needed to improve at third-base. Travis Shaw has really struggled this year, leaving them with no choice but to improve. So, they went out and got a switch-hitter rental in Escobar. He has been an above average defender this year while playing second and third. His main strength this season has been his power, although Escobar has been around league average at everything else. Given Shaw’s numbers this year and that no top-30 MLB Pipeline prospects were lost, this is what the team needed.
Escobar, 32, has 22 home runs with a .300 OBP and a .778 OPS in 400 Plate Appearances for the Diamondbacks this season. In his MLB career for Arizona, the Minnesota Twins, and Chicago White Sox, Escobar has hit 132 homers with a .308 OBP, and a .743 OPS in 4071 Plate Appearances.
The Diamondbacks are the worst team in baseball this year, which is not a thing that many saw coming. This means that everyone must go, or at least the pending free agents. Since Escobar has been good, but not great and does not have term left, the return is not outstanding. Hummel was drafted in the 18th round in 2016 who has an insane OBP in AAA this year. He has walked 41 times to just 26 strikeouts. Ciprian is eight years younger than Hummel and just starting his professional career.
Hummel, 26, has hit six home runs with a .435 OBP and a .942 OPS in 168 Plate Appearances for AAA Nashville this year. In his minor league career, Hummel has hit 36 home runs with 13 stolen bases, a .389 OBP and an .805 OPS in 1363 Plate Appearances.
Ciprian, 18, has no home runs with two stolen bases, a .465 OBP and a .979 OPS in 43 Plate Appearances in rookie ball this year.
CarterHud 