Mets' Eduardo Escobar responds to Brett Baty call-up

Third baseman Eduardo Escobar seems to understand his role with the New York Mets is about to change following the promotion of top-tier prospect Brett Baty.

"He deserves everything he’s getting right now, now that he’s getting called up," Escobar told Tim Healey of Newsday through an interpreter. "He’s put in the work. He deserves to come up here and play and do what he does because he’s that good of a player. He’s the future of this team." 

Fans and analysts, alike, were clamoring for Baty to receive the call-up due to his Triple-A performance coupled with Escobar's struggles at the plate. Baty was slashing .400/.500/.886 with five home runs and 15 RBI for Triple-A Syracuse, while Escobar is currently hitting a woeful .125 with a single homer and six RBI for the big-league club. 

Escobar now knows his job will be to help manager Buck Showalter likely as a non-starter unless Baty fails to cement himself as the top choice at the hot corner.

"This isn’t the first time it’s happened in my career, where the team has asked me to do maybe multiple things during a season. So I’m happy to do that," Escobar explained. "If Buck brings me into the office and tells me, hey, I want you to play this position or I want you to hit here in the lineup, I don’t have a problem. As long as I’m playing, I’m OK." 

Without Baty, the Mets managed to score just three runs on Saturday and four times during Sunday's 4-3 extra-innings victory that completed a three-game sweep at the Oakland Athletics. Escobar indicated he's frustrated with his own performances but also suggested Baty could be the figurative shot in the arm the New York offense needs this spring. 

"Hopefully he can come up here and help the team," Escobar added, "because we need him." 

The 10-6 Mets next play at the 8-8 Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.