Blue Jays Sign A Third Baseman

 It probably won't soothe the disappointed fan base after a dud of an offseason, but the Toronto Blue Jays have added another potential third baseman to the fold, signing veteran Eduardo Escobar.

As @ByRobertMurray and @JonHeyman have reported, Blue Jays and INF Eduardo Escobar are in agreement on a minor-league deal, pending a physical, per source.

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) February 16, 2024

It's a minor league deal for the 35-year-old, who joins his seventh major league team, and is coming off a dreadful year. He basted .226 last season with 6 home runs between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Angels, with an anemic OPS+ of 67.

Eduardo Escobar was terrible last year, no way around it. Much like the rest of the Jays lineup he’ll be looking to bounce back in 2024.

2022 - 20 HR, 69 RBI, 106 OPS+
2021 - 28 HR, 90 RBI, 109 OPS+
2019 - 35 HR, 118 RBI, 111 OPS+
2018 - 23 HR, 84 RBI, 119 OPS+

— VOT6 (@ViewsOnThe6) February 16, 2024

Looking on the bright side, which is about all Jays fans can do these days to forget about how depleted the roster looks heading into the 2024 campaign, Escobar has hit at least 20 home runs in each of the five previous full MLB seasons. He was an All-Star in 2021. But again, the Venezuelan infielder is now 35 years old.

He’ll now join other various and assorted third base options on the roster, such as the newly signed Justin Turner (even older, at 39) and former New York Yankee Isaiah Kiner-Falefa. None of them come close to replacing Matt Chapman in the field, and on the offensive side, a little (a lot?) of luck will be needed.

Escobar can also play a bit of second base if needed, another position that is a hodge-podge of hopefuls going into the new season.

Photo: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports