Eduardo Escobar likely to see new utility role in Mets return

Eduardo Escobar is still on track to return to the Mets’ lineup either Friday or Saturday, manager Buck Showalter said before Thursday’s 3-1 win over the Rockies at Citi Field. 

Escobar played seven innings for High-A Brooklyn Thursday night, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI in an 8-5 win over the Jersey Shore Blue Claws. 

In addition to batting second, Escobar played shortstop, which is part of a larger initiative to see if the Mets’ usual third basemen can be a utility infielder upon his return. 

“We’re just trying to make sure that we have coverage in different positions,” Showalter said before the game. “Obviously, he’ll come back and play some third base for us. But we also want to take this as an opportunity for him to play some other positions, which will help our roster management as we go forward. He does have some experience at it.” 

The Mets placed Escobar on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 16, with a left oblique strain after the 33-year-old exited the Mets’ 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Phillies on Aug. 12. An MRI exam came back clean, but Escobar had said he felt the discomfort primarily when he was swinging. 

The brief loss of Escobar opened up a roster spot for rookie third baseman Brett Baty, who went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts Thursday night in his first game at Citi Field. Since hitting a homer in his first MLB at-bat, Baty has gone 4-for-30 with eight strikeouts and no extra-base hits. 

If Baty remains on the roster, the Mets will need a backup shortstop. Infielder Yolmer Sanchez is an option, but it appears the Mets are preparing to have Escobar fill that role until Luis Guillorme (groin) returns from the IL. 

Rookie infielder Vaughn Grissom is off to a fast start with the Braves, and the 21-year-old apparently is glad that he wasn’t drafted by the Mets in 2019. 

“I thought I was going to be a Met, which would have been terrible,” Grissom said, according to MLB.com. 

Grissom, who started this season at the Single-A level, didn’t explain why he thought the Mets might draft him before the Braves selected him in the 11th round three years ago. 

Tyler Naquin started in left field over Mark Canha against Rockies righty Ryan Feltner and went 2-for-4 following an 0-for-19 slide. … Pitcher Nate Fisher was outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse.