Yunel Escobar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yunel Escobar |
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Escobar with the Atlanta Braves in 2009
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| Shortstop / Third baseman | |||
| Born: November 2, 1982 Havana, Cuba |
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| debut | |||
| June 2, 2007, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 6, 2017, for the Los Angeles Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .282 | ||
| Home runs | 90 | ||
| Runs batted in | 519 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Yunel Escobar Almenares (born November 2, 1982) is a former professional baseball player from Cuba. He played as a shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for teams like the Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Angels. While he mostly played shortstop, he later became a third baseman.
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Early Life and Journey
Yunel Escobar was born on November 2, 1982, in Havana, Cuba. Growing up, his best friend was Brayan Peña, who also became a professional baseball player. They often played on the same teams and shared their baseball gear.
In 2004, Escobar left Cuba by sea and arrived in the Florida Keys in the United States. This was a big step towards his dream of playing baseball professionally.
Starting His Baseball Career
Joining the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves picked Escobar in the second round of the 2005 baseball draft. Many teams weren't sure about drafting him because they didn't know much about his background. However, the Braves spoke with Brayan Peña, who was already playing for them. Peña told them a lot about Escobar's skills and personality. This helped the Braves decide to take a chance on him. Escobar received a $475,000 signing bonus.
After being drafted, Yunel started playing in the minor leagues. In 2005, he played for the Danville Braves, hitting very well. In 2006, he played in Double-A Mississippi and was chosen for the All-Star Futures Game. He showed good control at the plate, getting many walks.
Escobar had a strong spring training in 2007 before starting the season in Triple-A Richmond. He played very well there, hitting .333 in 46 games.
Making His MLB Debut
Yunel Escobar made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on June 2, 2007. He played against the Chicago Cubs at third base. In his very first time at bat, he hit a single. He ended the game with two hits, including a double, and helped his team win.
Escobar said, "This is what I dreamed about when I first left Cuba." His manager, Bobby Cox, noted that Escobar was a "no-fear type of player."
His first Major League home run came on June 4, 2007, against the Florida Marlins. He hit it over the wall in right field. He had a great game, getting four hits in total.
On July 27, 2007, Escobar showed how smart he was on the field. In a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he walked to first base. The pitcher turned his back to fix his sock, and Escobar quickly ran to second base. He scored from second on the next play, helping the Braves tie the game.
On August 5, 2007, Escobar got his first "walk-off" hit. This means his hit ended the game by bringing in the winning run. He singled in Jeff Francoeur to give the Braves a 6–5 win over the Colorado Rockies. He finished his first season with a .326 batting average.
After the 2007 season, the Braves traded their starting shortstop, Édgar Rentería. This was partly because Escobar had shown he could play the position well. Rentería had taught Escobar a lot, like a mentor.
On June 2, 2008, exactly one year after his debut, Escobar hit his first walk-off home run. It helped the Braves win 7–5 against the Florida Marlins. He ended the 2008 season with a .288 batting average. He was also very good at defense that year.
The year 2009 was one of Escobar's best. He hit .299 and had a career-high 14 home runs. He also played very well in the field.
Playing for Different Teams
Moving to Toronto Blue Jays
On July 14, 2010, Escobar was traded from the Braves to the Toronto Blue Jays. Just a few days later, he hit his first Grand Slam for the Blue Jays. A grand slam is a home run hit when all three bases are occupied, scoring four runs.
On April 5, 2011, Escobar hit a 2-run walk-off home run against the Oakland Athletics. This was his second career walk-off home run. In June 2011, the Blue Jays signed Escobar to a new contract that would keep him with the team for two more years.
Joining the Tampa Bay Rays
In November 2012, Escobar was part of a big trade that sent him to the Miami Marlins. Then, in December 2012, he was traded again to the Tampa Bay Rays.
On September 26, 2013, Escobar became the last batter to face famous pitcher Mariano Rivera before Rivera retired. In April 2014, Escobar signed another contract extension with the Rays.
With the Washington Nationals
On January 10, 2015, Escobar was traded to the Oakland Athletics. A few days later, on January 14, 2015, Oakland traded him to the Washington Nationals.
On April 21, 2015, Escobar hit a walk-off home run for the Nationals against the St. Louis Cardinals. This gave his team a 2–1 win in the 10th inning.
Final Years with the Los Angeles Angels
On December 10, 2015, Escobar was traded to the Los Angeles Angels. In 2016, he had a good batting average of .304. He became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team, after the 2017 season.
Important Life Lesson
In 2012, while playing for the Blue Jays, Escobar faced a difficult situation. He wore eye black with a message that was considered offensive to some groups of people. He later apologized, explaining that he didn't mean to cause offense and that the phrase was used differently in his culture.
Because of this, the Blue Jays suspended him for three games. His salary from those games was donated to groups that support fairness and respect for all people. He also took part in special training to learn more about different cultures and how words can affect others. This incident was a reminder of the importance of being mindful of what we say and how it can be understood by others.
Personal Life
Yunel Escobar became an American citizen on March 10, 2017, in Miami, Florida.
See also
- List of baseball players who defected from Cuba
