The Oakland Athletics have traded SS Yunel Escobar to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Tyler Clippard. Escobar was traded to the Washington Nationals just a short week after he was traded to the Athletics from Tampa Bay.
Escobar spent the last two seasons with the Tamba Bay Rays hitting .257/.328/.354 during his time there. Escober is owed $12 million through the 2016 season with a team option in 2017.
This could signal a potential trade coming soon for the Nationals, since All-Star Ian Desmond, who is set to become a free agent after the 2015 season, is currently occupying the SS position. The Nationals and Desmond have had multiple engagements on a possible contract extension, but have failed to make any progress.
The Mets had balked on a three-team trade with the Athletics & Rays that would have landed Desmond in a Mets uniform, but it would have cost the Mets Noah Syndergaard and two other top prospects.
Desmond, an All-Star in 2012, posted .255/.313/.430 in 2014. Desmond has also hit 20+ homeruns and stolen 20+ bases in the last seasons, which would add a dynamic to the SS position that the Mets have never had.
Desmond is set to become a free agent after the 2015 season. Desmond’s possible free agency is the main reason why the Mets refused to part with multiple top prospects. But lets see if maybe now that changes.
Could the price for Ian Desmond drop since the Nationals have fallback options? Comment below and let us know your thoughts.
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