Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals. (Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
The Washington Nationals are trading for Kansas City Royals veteran shortstop Alcides Escobar, who has not played in the big leagues since the 2018 MLB season.
In dire need of some middle infield help, the Washington Nationals are orchestrating a trade with the Kansas City Royals for their veteran shortstop Alcides Escobar.
While Escobar had been a big part of the Royals’ back-to-back AL championships and 2015 World Series title, the 34-year-old shortstop last played in the MLB back in 2018. He had spent the 2019 season in the minor leagues and played overseas in Japan last year. Escobar signed a minor-league contract with the Royals in May and was assigned to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers.
Look for Escobar to make his triumphant return to the big leagues with the Nationals in a bit.
Washington Nationals are acquiring SS Alcides Escobar from Kansas City Royals
Escobar had been an All-Star and a Gold Glove recipient during his initial eight-year run with the Royals. The 2015 ALCS MVP is a career .258 hitter and was the Royals’ every day shortstop from 2011 to 2018. Though an opportunity to return to the big leagues evaded him for the better part of three years, Washington is trading for him with every intention of getting him into the lineup.
Washington entered play on Friday two games back of the New York Mets in the NL East division standings. Even though they were the defending World Series champions, the Nationals were one of the seven NL teams who missed out on the postseason a year ago in an expanded field. The team’s championship window is closing, so they must take advantage of it as quickly as possible.
Trading for Escobar now just shows how depleted the Nationals are in the middle of their infield.