Nobody could’ve predicted it, but Eduardo Escobar has been the Twins’ best player this season, and it’s not even close.
Escbobar went 3-for-4 and slugged a pair of homers in Minnesota’s 6-4 win over the White Sox on Friday. He also doubled, walked, drove in three runs and scored twice.
The switch-hitting infielder leads the Twins in pretty much every offensive category, including:
- Batting average: .316
- Home runs: 6
- RBI: 17
- Runs: 17
- Doubles: 14
- Hits: 31
- Total bases: 63
- Slugging: .643
- OPS: 1.010
Those aren’t just the best numbers on the team, those are league-leading numbers in some instances – and he’s only in the starting lineup because shortstop Jorge Polanco was suspended 80 games to start the season.
Escobar has more extra-base hits (20) than Mike Trout (19) and he’s done it in seven fewer games. In fact, there are only two players in the American League with more extra-base hits than Escobar: Didi Gregorius (21) and Mookie Betts (25).
His OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) is seventh-best in the AL, one spot ahead of prolific Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
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Escobar is easily the team’s MVP because he’s producing the way he is while Brian Dozier and Logan Morrison slump and Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano battle injuries.
The only other players hitting the ball this season are Joe Mauer, Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario, but as good as they’ve been they’re not near the level Escobar is at right now.
Escobar has picked up where he left off last season.
After replacing an injured Sano hit .263 with 10 homers, five doubles, four triples and 31 RBI in the span of a month and a half.
If he keeps hitting the way he is, he should be an All-Star for the first time in his career.
