The New York Mets traded infielder Eduardo Escobar and right-handed pitchers Coleman Crowe and Landon Marceau to the Los Angeles Angels, the team announced Friday. Here’s what you should know:
- Escobar was playing his second season with the Mets. 236/.286/.409 with 4 homers and 16 RBIs in 2023.
- Crowe pitched 24 innings in 2023 with the Double-A Rocket City Trashpandas, posting a 1.88 ERA. Marceau is 3-6 with the Trash Pandas this season, posting a 4.88 ERA in 59 innings.
- Entering Friday, the Mets are 34-40 and fourth in the NL East. The Angels are 41-35 and sit third in the American League West.
The AthleticInstant analysis of:
Why did the Mets make this move?
For some time now, Steve Cohen, Billy Eppler and the Mets have been talking about building a sustainable winner in Queens. With major league clubs struggling this season and Escobar’s role dwindling, the Mets saw an opportunity to acquire minor league talent and were happy to share Escobar’s salary for the rest of the season.
“The Angels had a need and we had a little surplus,” Eppler said. “This is a testament to Steve and his commitment to the blueprint here.
(This is a notable change compared to not recovering money from traded players when the Mets operated consistently under Wilpons late last year.)
Even as a backup, Escobar was a useful player for the Mets (.897 OPS over the past two months). As such, the Mets will likely rely on someone younger to fill in. It could be Marc Vientos, who was just dispatched down over the weekend. — Britton
Does this suggest the Mets will be the seller?
The timing raises some eyebrows, but it’s too early to see it as the first of a month-long sale of the current Mets roster. The Angels opened trade talks citing infield needs, and the Mets were happy to listen as they had other options to fill the role of Escobar.
There is still more than a month before New York state makes a firmer decision on the deadline plan. — Britton
Why Los Angeles Made This Deal
The Angels made the trade after a string of infield injuries in the last 10 days. The team lost Gio Urscella this season. Anthony Rendon is out with a sore wrist. And starting shortstop Zach Neto has suffered a diagonal injury. The Angels wanted a proven third baseman who could not only start right away, but also act as an insurance option for the injury-ridden Rendon. The Angels were desperate to win this season and felt they had to act to stay competitive. — Bloom
Angel is likely to become a buyer by the deadline
Losing Marceau and Crowe is not irrelevant for the Angels. They rank among the organization’s top 20 prospects. Crow’s notoriety has risen steadily within the organization over the years since he was awarded at round 28 for more than a slot worth. Marceau is posting a 4.88 ERA in 59 double-A innings this year. The Angels hope to become a buyer by the deadline, and the trade will impact their ability to acquire more players by Aug. 1. Bloom
must read
(Photo: Jon Jones/USA Today)
