Eduardo Jose Escobar signed with Chicago-AL as a non-drafted free agent in Venezuela when he was 17...Was Minnesota's 2016 Carl R. Pohlad Award winner for Outstanding Community Service...Is a fan of the Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão and commonly uses #FogoPower on social media in reference to hitting home runs...Visited the restaurant shortly after signing with the Mets...Hosted fundraiser dinners at the Scottsdale location in 2018 and 2019, with proceeds benefiting the Eduardo Escobar Foundation...Took the entire Mets travel party to Fogo de Chao prior to the 2022 season opener in Washington, D.C...Started the Eduardo Escobar Foundation to provide food, medical supplies, basic necessities and baseball equipment in Venezuela...Changes his cleats after each bad at-bat…Has approximately 15 pairs of cleats in his locker at any given time...Has five children, four sons, Eduardo Jr., Raul, Jose Emmanuel and Diego, and a daughter, Isadora...Is childhood friends with Miguel Cabrera...His mom wanted him to study instead of playing baseball, so she would hide his equipment to prevent him from playing...Snuck out of school during recess to watch the Tigres de Aragua
play at their nearby ballpark...Pitched as a teenager until he tried out for the White Sox as a shortstop in Caraças in December of 2006...Is afraid of cats...Did not let this interfere with his relationship with the D-backs mascot, Baxter, during his years in Arizona...Frequently listens to American music to help improve his English...Was one of six finalists for MLB's 2017 Marvin Miller Man of the Year...Was discovered at 19 years old by former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillén while taking grounders on a backfield in Tucson, Arizona...Guillén stopped by on a day off in May to watch his son, Oney, who had been playing shortstop ahead of Escobar...Guillén, also from Venezuela, convinced the White Sox not to release Escobar and send him from the Venezuelan Summer League to an affiliate in the United States…He also had the club send Escobar to instructional camp in Arizona to keep him out of his dangerous home neighborhood of La Pica...Ozzie had Oney look after Eduardo in the minor leagues and was his roommate for several years.
2022
Named NL Player of the Month for September, slashing .340/.393/.649 with 33 hits, four doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 24 RBI, nine walks and 16 runs scored across 26 games...Finished among NL leaders in September in batting average (second), SLG (first), OBP (fourth), OPS (1.042, first), hits (tied second) and home runs (third)...Drove in six runs while hitting for the cycle for the first time in his career on June 6 at San Diego...Launched his first career grand slam on Sept. 23 at Oakland...Tallied his sixth career walk-off RBI and second of the season on Sept. 28 vs. Miami while driving in all five of the Mets' runs in a 5-4, extra-inning victory...POSTSEASON...Slugged his first career Postseason home run in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series on Oct. 7 vs. San Diego.
2021
Named to his first All-Star team and went 1-1, playing third base in the Midsummer Classic...Traded to Milwaukee from Arizona on July 28 for OF Cooper Hummel and INF Alberto Ciprian...Recorded 20 or more homers for the fourth time in his career and 90 or more RBI for the second time...Went a season-best 4-5 with a run, a double, home run and five RBI on June 26 with Arizona vs. San Diego...Matched a career-high seven RBI on May 15 with Arizona vs. Washington...Finished 3-5 with three runs and two home runs.
2020
Hit .212 (43-for-203) with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs and 20 RBI in 54 games in his second full season with Arizona...Made 46 starts at third base, 4 as designated hitter and 3 at second...Swing and miss pct. dropped from 24.8 in 2019 to 21.6 in 2020, his lowest mark since 2016 with Twins (19.5).
2019
Posted career highs with 171 hits, 10 triples, 35 homers, 118 RBI, 94 runs scored, 158 games, a .511 slugging pct. and .831 OPS in his first full season with Arizona…636 at-bats were second most in D-backs history...Ranked among NL leaders in several offensive categories, including triples (1st), RBI (T-4th), multi-hit games (T-6th, 50), 3+ hit games (T-8th, 14) and extra-base hits (T-10th, 74)...His 34 RBI increase from 2018 (84) to 2019 (118) was tied with Anthony Rendon/WSH for the fifth-highest increase among hitters with at least 500 AB in each season, behind only Josh Bell/PIT (54), DJ LeMahieu/NYY (40), Trey Mancini/BAL (39) and Cody Bellinger/LAD (39)...Named NL Player of the Week for April 22-28 (second career weekly award; also: AL for June 4-10, 2018)...Recorded 4 multi-homer games, including homering from both sides of the plate 3 times (had never done so before 2019).
2018
Established career highs in home runs (23), doubles (48), on-base pct. (.334), slugging pct. (.489), OPS (.824), walks (52), runs scored (75), RBI (84), games (151), hits (154), total bases (277) and at-bats (566) while hitting .272 in 151 combined games with the D-backs and Twins.... Ranked second in the Majors in doubles, behind Alex Bregman/HOU (51)...His 48 doubles were tied for ninth most all-time in a season by a switchhitter with Dmitri Young/CIN (48 in 1998)…also the 48 doubles were tied for the fifth most in a season by a Venezuela-born player...Led all third basemen with a .983 fielding pct. (5 E in 299 TC), ahead of Anthony Rendon/WSH (.981), and the best fielding mark at that position since Placido Polanco/MIA in 2013 (.990)...Acquired from Minnesota on July 27 for RHP Jhoan Durán, OF Ernie De La Trinidad and OF Gabriel Maciel...Signed a 3-year contract with the D-backs through 2021 on Oct. 22.
2017
Made Twins Opening Day roster for fifth consecutive season and sixth of major league career (Chicago-AL, 2012)...Tied career-high with five hits (6 at-bats) in a Twins 20-7 win over Seattle June 13...Hit safely in career-high nine straight games June 13-22, hitting .472 (17-for-36) with four doubles, two home runs and six RBI during the streak... Made first career appearance as catcher June 6 at Seattle; caught catcher Chris Gimenez, who was making one of his six appearances on the mound...Hit .354 (29-for-82) with four doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI in 24 August games; ranked seventh in the AL in average...Recorded 100th career double August 17 vs. Cleveland (Game 2)...Recorded second career multi-homer game September 2 vs. Kansas City; the first home run was his 13th, setting a single-season career high; tied single-game career high with six RBI...Tied for third in the AL in RBI from August 17 through the end of the season...Named one of six finalists for the 2017 Marvin Miller Man of the Year award representing the Twins...Became Twins primary third basemen in Miguel Sanó's absence (DL) from late August through end of season...Hit .255 (41-for-161) with seven home runs as right-handed hitter and .253 (75-for-296) with 14 home runs as left-handed hitter...Played 79 games (77 starts) at third base, 16 games (12 starts) at shortstop, nine games (7 starts) at second base, two games (0 starts) in left field and one at catcher...Set career highs in RBI (73), home runs (21), runs (62), triples (5), walks (33) and stolen bases (5)...Made postseason debut in AL Wild Card game October 3 at New York-AL, going 2-for-4.
2016
Made Twins Opening Day roster for fourth consecutive season and fifth of major league career (Chicago-AL - 2012)...Placed on 15-day disabled list May 7 with a left groin strain; reinstated May 23...Hit safely in season-high seven straight games June 17-24, hitting .440 (11-for-25) with one double, two triples, two home runs and nine RBI during the streak...Homered in back-to-back games for the second time in career June 17 and 18 vs. New York-AL...Hit .306 (11-for-36) with three doubles, two home runs and six RBI in 11 July games...Made first career pitching appearance August 11 vs. Houston (Game 1), pitching 1.0 scoreless inning with one hit allowed...12th time in club history for position player to pitch and ninth different player...Hit .249 (60-for-241) as left-handed hitter and .207 (23-for-111) as right-handed hitter...Played 71 games at shortstop (66 starts), 23 at third base (20 starts), six at second base (2 starts) and two in leftfield (no starts)...Given 2016 Carl R. Pohlad for Outstanding Community Service.
2015
Made Twins Opening Day roster for third consecutive season and fourth of his major league career (White Sox - 2012)....Set season-high with five RBI May 6 vs. Oakland....Went 4-for-4 with two doubles May 16 vs. Tampa Bay...according to Elias, it marked the second time in his career to go 4-for-4 or better in a game as a shortstop with the other such game coming on April 30, 2014 vs. Los Angeles-NL...no other player in baseball had more than one game of 4-for-4 or better as a shortstop from 2014-15....Recorded third career walk-off hit and second of career as a Twin August 11 vs. Texas off Spencer Patton, hitting an RBI-double with two outs in the ninth inning in a Twins 3-2 win....Recorded first career two-homer game August 26 at Tampa Bay, both as a left-handed batter....Scored a run in 12 straight games August 20-September 3, tied for third longest streak in Twins history with Rich Rollins (1964), trailing only Kirby Puckett's 14 (1986) and Orlando Cabrera's 13 (2009)...the streak was tied with Colorado's Nolan Arenado for longest in baseball in 2015....Hit 30th double September 22 vs. Cleveland, giving him consecutive 30-plus double seasons.... Ranked fourth in batting average (.286) among AL shortstops from July 31 until end of season; also ranked first in doubles (18), second in slugging percentage (.524), tied for third in home runs (8) and tied for fourth in runs (31)....Became everyday shortstop at end of August and hit .287 (39-for-136) with 12 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 23 RBI and 23 runs scored in final 38 games of season....Hit .277 (36-for-130) with seven home runs as right-handed batter and .254 (71-for-279) with five home runs as left-handed batter....Set single-season career-highs in home runs (12), triples (4), RBI (58) and walks (28)....Played 71 games at shortstop (all starts), 35 in leftfield (27 starts), 11 games at second (4 starts), five at third (all starts) and one in rightfield.
2014
Made Twins Opening Day roster for second consecutive season and third of his career (ChicagoAL in 2012)...Set single-game career-high with four hits April 30 vs. Los Angeles-NL...Started first career game in left field May 7 at Cleveland, playing 8.2 innings and making three putouts...Started first career game in centerfield May 8 at Cleveland, playing 8.0 innings, making two putouts and recording two outfield assists...Became second "primary infielder" in club history to record two outfield assists in a single game, the other being Jeff Reboulet May 20, 1996 vs. Milwaukee...Became Twins primary shortstop in early May when Twins optioned Pedro Florimon...started 19 straight games at shortstop May 23-June 10...Hit go-ahead solo home run to break 0-0 tie in top of 10th inning May 5 at Cleveland off John Axford; became second Twins player in the last 15 years to break a scoreless tie in extra innings with a homer, the previous being Jim Thome September 11, 2010 at Cleveland...Hit safely in career-high eight straight games May 10-18, hitting .419 (13-for-31) with six doubles during the streak...Hit .322 (29-for-90) in 27 May games with 13 doubles - tied with Ian Kinsler (May) and Denard Span (June) for most doubles in any month among all major leaguers...Hit .314 (53-for-169) with 21 doubles, 19 runs scored, 12 walks and a .357 on-base percentage in his first 55 games (through June 15)...Recorded career-high five hits August 22 vs. Detroit, falling a double short of the cycle...According to Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first player to collect five hits, including a home run, in a game from either the eighth or ninth slot in the lineup since Detroit's Carlos Pena had six hits, including a pair of homers, at Kansas City in 2004...Became second Twin on the season to get hits off five different pitchers in the same game - Danny Santana did it against the Chicago-AL on August 3...Recorded career-high six RBI September 27 at Detroit...Hit .328 (43-for-131) with 17 extra-base hits (4 home runs) from the right side and .252 (76-for-302) with 26 extra-base hits (2 home runs) from the left side...The .328 average from the right side ranked third best in baseball among all switch hitters...Ranked second on the Twins in doubles (35) and tied for 10th in the AL...Played 98 games at shortstop (86 starts), 25 games at third base (23 starts), nine at second base (6 starts), two in leftfield (1 start) and one in centerfield (1 start)...Given the Charles O. Johnson Award for Twins Most Improved Player as voted on by the Twin Cities Chapter of the BBWAA.
2013
Made Twins Opening Day roster, marking his second time on a major league Opening Day roster (Chicago-AL in 2012)... Hit walk-off two-run double April 3 vs. Detroit, giving the Twins the 3-2 victory and his second career walk-off hit... Hit first career home run April 9 at Kansas City, a solo shot off Jeremy Guthrie... Optioned to Triple-A Rochester July 14... Recorded back-to-back four-hit games August 11 and 12 at Norwich... Finished the Triple-A season with a season-high nine-game hitting streak August 25-September 2... Named International League Player of the Week September 3 after leading the IL with 12 hits, three home runs, nine RBI, seven runs scored, and a .867 slugging percentage in the season's final eight games...on the final day, went 4-for-5 with three doubles, one home run with five RBI September 2 vs. Scranton-Wilkes/Barre... Hit .307 (51-for-166) with 16 doubles in 43 games on the season for Triple-A Rochester... Recalled by Minnesota September 9 and hit .324 (11-for-34) in 11 games to finish the season.
2012
Appeared in 36 games for Chicago-AL, playing third base, shortstop and second base...hit .207 (18-for-87) with four doubles, a triple and
14 runs scored. ... Entered season ranked as the 10th best prospect and best defensive infielder in White Sox organization for third straight season by Baseball
America. ... Acquired from Chicago-AL in exchange for Francisco Liriano July 28, 2012; spent entire season on White Sox 25-man roster prior to being
traded to Twins...added to Twins 40-man roster and assigned to Triple-A Rochester. ... Hit .217 (30-for-138) with three doubles, three triples, one home run, nine RBI and 19 runs scored in 35 games for Red Wings...committed
just three errors while playing third base (17 games), shortstop (10 games) and second base (9 games)...recalled by Twins September 4. ... Made Twins debut, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored September 4 at Chicago-AL...recorded RBI-single in first Twins at-bat.
2011
Spent the majority of the season with Class AAA Charlotte, but appeared in nine games with the White
Sox (.286, 2-7)...played in three games at shortstop and two at second base for the Sox...was recalled from
Charlotte on 9/3 and made his Major-League debut that night at Detroit...entered the game as a defensive
replacement at shortstop and picked up his first Major-League hit, a single off Justin Verlander...batted .266
(130-489) with 23 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 49 RBI in 137 games with the Knights...appeared
in 107 games at shortstop and 30 at second base...collected a season-high four hits on three occasions (5/11
at Columbus, 8/21 vs. Gwinnett and 8/25 at Durham)...batted .396 (19-48) over his last 11 games, including
an eight-game hitting streak from 8/25-31 (.436, 14-32)...hit .255 (47-184) with one home run and 19 RBI in 53
games with La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League...entered the season ranked by Baseball America as
the Best Defensive Infielder in the White Sox system for the second straight year...also tabbed by the same
publication as the No. 5 Prospect in the Sox organization.
2010
Combined to hit .277 (158-570) with 26 doubles, 11 triples, six home runs and 61 RBI in 136 games
between Class A Winston-Salem and Class AA Birmingham...was named to the mid and postseason Carolina
League All-Star Teams...was named the CL Best Defensive Shortstop by Baseball America...ranked among
the Sox organizational leaders in triples (2nd, 11), runs scored (T2nd, 79), hits (T2nd, 158) and total bases (T6th,
224)...appeared in 28 games with the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .300 (33-110) with
four home runs, 15 RBI and 22 runs scored...ranked among AFL leaders in total bases (1st, 59), triples (T1st,
5), runs scored (2nd), home runs (T3rd) and hits (T3rd)...was named to the AFL West Division Rising Stars
Team...entered the season ranked as the Best Defensive Infielder in the Sox organization by Baseball America
... played in six games with La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.
2009
Hit .256 (119-464) with three home runs and 41 RBI in 128 games with class a Kannapolis...led the
team in runs scored (64) and stolen bases (20)...posted a 16-game hitting streak from 8/18-9/3, batting .426
(26-61)...hit .269 (7-26) in 26 games with La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.
2008
Made his professional debut with Advanced Rookie Great Falls and Kannapolis, batting .281 (75-267)
in 66 combined games...played in six games with La Guaira in the VWL.
2007
Spent the entire season with the Dominican Summer League White Sox.
2006
Made his professional debut with the Venezuelan Summer League White Sox.
