3 reasons why the Eduardo Escobar trade was a good one for the Angels

The LA Angels needed an MLB-caliber infielder, and Eduardo Escobar gives them that

Eduardo Escobar is not anything special. He's slashed .236/.286/.409 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 40 games this season for the Mets. His OPS+ of 91 is slightly below average after his 106 OPS+ last season was slightly above.

Escobar is a switch-hitter but is far better right handed, as his OPS is over 350 points higher as a right-handed batter this season. His career splits aren't that dramatic, but he's always been better against southpaws.

Instead of relying on a guy like Luis Rengifo who has an OPS+ of 64 this season, the Angels can play Escobar who's about league average offensively to plug the third base hole until Rendon returns from the IL.

While Escobar isn't going to hit the 35 home runs he hit in 2019 or the 28 he hit in 2021, it's pretty clear that he's a guy who can hit home runs. When he gets hot, he's really hot. Last September he practically carried a struggling Mets offense by slashing .321/.385/.982 with eight home runs and 25 RBI.

He lost his starting job to top prospect Brett Baty early on this season, but since May 1 Escobar is slashing .321/.379/.491 with two home runs and eight RBI in 53 at-bats. He hasn't played much, but he's been effective in a limited role.

Escobar is a guy who has always been beloved by his teammates and has always been at least an average MLB hitter. The Angels don't expect him to be an all-star, he just has to be decent. He's better than what they had, and they really didn't have to give up all that much.