Nats net Alcides Escobar in trade with KC

The Nationals have acquired veteran infielder Alcides Escobar from the Royals in exchange for cash considerations, the team announced Saturday.

Washington also designated infielder Humberto Arteaga for assignment, placed Alex Avila (bilateral calf strains) and Kyle Schwarber (right hamstring strain) on the 10-day injured list and called up catcher Tres Barrera and outfielder Yadiel Hernandez from Triple-A Rochester.

Escobar, 34, is a former postseason hero for Kansas City who was a major contributor to the Royals’ back-to-back American League pennants in 2014 and '15 and World Series championship in '15. He was both an All-Star and a Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop in ’15.

Escobar has not appeared in a Major League game since the end of the 2018 season. The La Sabana, Venezuela, native began '21 with Triple-A Omaha in Kansas City’s Minor League system, splitting time across shortstop, second base and third base while hitting .274 with seven doubles, five homers, 16 RBIs and two steals across 35 games. He played with Japan’s Yakult Swallows in ’20, finishing with a .273 average, 14 doubles, two triples, one homer and six steals across 104 games.