Jays Acquire Escobar From Braves
Posted July 14, 2010 3:23 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Toronto Blue Jays swapped shortstops with the Atlanta Braves, acquiring Yunel Escobar for veteran Alex Gonzalez in a five-player trade Wednesday.
The Blue Jays also get 25-year-old left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes while sending prospects Tim Collins, a lefty, and infielder Tyler Pastronicky to the Braves.
Escobar is the key piece for the Blue Jays, someone who can fill the void up the middle for a few seasons until top prospect Adeiny Hechavarria is ready.
But the 27-year-old is more than just a stop-gap.
Though he’s slumped to a .238 average with 12 doubles in 75 games this season, the six-foot-two, 200-pound Cuban batted .299 with 26 doubles, 14 home runs, 76 RBIs and a .377 on-base percentage in 2009. He owns a career .291 average with 87 doubles, 29 home runs and a .368 on base percentage over 446 career games with Atlanta.
Gonzalez, 33, is batting .259 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs while playing superb defence, but is well over his career norms in recent years.
