NY Mets: 4 players at the top of my trade deadline wish list

Eduardo Escobar

In 2019, Eduardo Escobar had an outstanding season and nobody really talked about him. He slashed .269/.320/.511 with 35 home runs and 118 RBI. He hit in the middle of the Diamondbacks order and along with Ketel Marte, kept them in contention for a National League Wild Card spot for much of the season.

However, Escobar struggled last season, so his stock fell. But this season, he’s gotten back to hitting for power. He is slashing .244/.291/.466 with 14 home runs and 14 RBI.

The average and on-base skills might not jump off the screen, but the things he provides that the Mets desperately need are power and versatility. Escobar’s 14 home runs have him just four behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the league lead.

While the Mets are shorthanded, Escobar would be a huge get. They could stick his bat in the middle of the lineup and get some runs with one swing at a time where they have struggled to score runs for the most part.

Once players like J.D. Davis and Jeff McNeil come back, then it might be time to reassess how many at-bats he’d get but since he is a guy that can play second base, third base, and shortstop, I would imagine he’d get plenty of playing time.

Escobar is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent after this season. If they feel that they don’t have a spot for him on next year’s team, they can just let him walk. The Diamondbacks sit in last place in the NL West and have the worst record in baseball at 20-39. They likely won’t be looking to extend the 32-year-old Escobar, so they will try to get whatever they can for him. Considering they will be sellers and he’s an expiring contract, I don’t expect it to take too much to get him. He would be a huge boost for now to this banged-up lineup, and once everyone is healthy, he could even be a bench bat.