Eduardo Escobar agrees to three-year deal with Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a three-year deal with third baseman Eduardo Escobar on Monday, the team announced on Monday.

Escobar was a midseason trade acquisition that cost the D-backs three minor league players. On July 27, Arizona shipped pitcher Jhoan Duran, outfielder Ernie De La Trinidad and outfielder Gabriel Maciel to the Minnesota Twins to acquire Escobar.

D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said on a conference call Monday the conversations from the past month or so into a long-term deal.

In 54 games with the Diamondbacks, the 29-year-old Escobar slashed .272/.334/.489, hitting eight home runs to go with 21 RBIs, 18 walks and 35 strikeouts.

Hazen said they value the flexibility Escobar brings and they see him fitting in as someone who can play multiple positions.

“That affords us the opportunity to be a little more aggressive here early in the offseason before we have some of those other answers in place,” he said.

Hazen said they see Escobar being in the lineup every day and the team believes he can also play second base.

The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro reports Escobar’s deal will pay out a total of $21 million.

The deal creates a position battle at third base, where Escobar would compete for playing time with lefty Jake Lamb, who has two years of arbitration left on his deal before potentially hitting restricted free agency in 2021.

Signing of Escobar reported by @nickpiecoro doesn't mean that Jake Lamb is gone. Lamb can play 3B and 1B = could move to first if Paul Goldschmidt is dealt.

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) October 22, 2018

Lamb finished the 2018 season on the disabled list with a shoulder injury that he injured just as the Diamondbacks acquired Escobar. In 56 games this year, Lamb slashed .222/.307/.348 with six home runs, 31 RBIs, 26 walks and 65 strikeouts.

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