Orioles sign veteran SS Escobar


Reuters | Updated: 17-02-2019 02:31 IST | Created: 17-02-2019 02:31 IST
Orioles sign veteran SS Escobar

The Baltimore Orioles signed veteran shortstop Alcides Escobar to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, the team announced Saturday. The 32-year-old Escobar gives the Orioles some middle infield depth as well as dependability. He played all 162 games in three of the past five seasons and played 155 or more games six times during eight seasons with the Kansas City Royals.

"Alcides Escobar will add a great veteran option to the middle-infield competition we have brought into this camp," general manager Mike Elias said in a statement. "We look forward to having him join us here in Sarasota and enter the mix." Escobar batted .231 with four home runs and 34 RBIs in 140 games for Kansas City last season.

He was a pivotal player when the Royals reached the World Series in back-to-back seasons, including the franchise's 2015 title-winning squad. Escobar was named American League Championship Series MVP for batting .478 with six runs scored and five RBIs as Kansas City defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in six games. He also batted .310 in the 2014 World Series when the Royals lost to the San Francisco Giants in seven games.

Escobar batted .285 and stole 31 bases in 2014. He was an All-Star the following season when he batted .257 with 17 steals and also won a Gold Glove. Escobar played parts of three seasons with Milwaukee (2008-10) before joining the Royals as part of the compensation for Kansas City trading right-hander Zack Greinke to the Brewers.

Overall, Escobar has a .258 career average with 41 homers, 442 RBIs and 174 steals in 1,437 games. --Field Level Media

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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