Kelvim Escobar

San José de la Sabana might as well be a Hamlet from a Latin American magical realism novel. Is there something in its water? Or perhaps a spell cast by the village witch? The small town of Caruao, La Guaira on Venezuela’s central coast is the cradle of a family tradition started by José Elías Escobar. Like the magic of compound interest, his 18 sons have continued the family dynasty, whose purebred pedigree has produced more than 20 players signed to professional contracts with major-league franchises.

Kelvim, one of José Elías’s grandchildren, can claim to be the best of the crop. A versatile and smart pitcher, he played with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim between 1997 and 2009. 1 Armed with a blistering fastball and a cunning split finger, he earned 101 victories 2 and 59 saves 3 in the major leagues. Both totals rank among the top 10 for Venezuelan hurlers, an uncommon combination in today’s specialized pitching landscape.

Kelvim José Escobar Bolívar was born in La Guaira on April 11, 1976, and developed his potential at the Oscar Santiago Escobar Stadium (oddly, no relation). At 16, he was scouted by Epifanio “Epy” Guerrero, the legendary Dominican birddog for the Cardenales of Lara and the Blue Jays, and Domingo Carrasquel, brother of Alfonso “Chico” Carrasquel. Escobar signed a contract on July 9, 1992, and immediately reported to the Dominican Summer League. Blue Jays pitching coach Mel Queen needed only one throwing session to “want to take Escobar to the United States as soon as possible to begin his career. We always knew the type of arm he had, but we did not know he would do so well in the DSL. It’s a testament to his skill.” 4

In 1994, as an 18-year-old with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays, Escobar went 4-4 with a 2.35 ERA in 11 games (10 starts). He struck out 64 hitters in 65 innings and did not allow a home run. A year later, he struck out 75 opponents in 69⅓ innings in the Rookie-level Pioneer League, but walked 33 batters and gave up six home runs. The Blue Jays were nevertheless impressed, given that Escobar was roughly two years younger than his peers.

In 1996 Escobar pitched for both Class-A Advanced Dunedin and Double-A Knoxville. He struck out 157 hitters in 164⅓ innings, with a 2.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 12 wins. His maturity was noticed by the Toronto organization and the press: “There are some promising young arms in the minors, led by righties Kelvim Escobar and Roy Halladay, but they are a couple of years away at best,” a sportswriter observed. 5 The assessment was not an indictment of the prospects’ potential but rather an awareness of the Blue Jays’ formidable rotation of Roger Clemens, Juan Guzmán, Pat Hengen, and the up-and-coming Chris Carpenter.

Escobar was cold-blooded and calm under pressure on the mound, unafraid to challenge hitters with his fastball. He rose through the minors quickly, thanks to his experience in the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP). The winter circuit boasted tougher competition than Escobar would face in the Florida State or Southern League.

Baseball America placed Escobar as the 67th-best preseason prospect. He played only eight games in the minors in 1997 (2-2, 3.72 ERA in 36⅓ innings) before being called up to the big leagues. He debuted against Baltimore on June 29, 1997, in long relief, and limited the Orioles to a pair of hits and three walks in 4⅓ innings, striking out five. His debut was the second victory by a Venezuelan hurler since 1976 as a reliever. 6

The 21-year-old impressed his teammates and manager Cito Gaston, who quickly anointed Escobar the team closer. Right fielder Joe Carter noted, “H]e’s doing the job. He’s calm on the mound and is throwing 94-95 MPH with a good forkball.” 7 Pitcher Robert Person added, “I’ve never seen a rookie come in like that (as a closer) and grab the bull by the horns.” 8

Escobar himself was cognizant of how he reached the majors at a young age: “To me, Venezuela (LVBP) helped me dominate the minors and reach the major leagues so quickly.” 9 Seasoned veterans like Luis Sojo, Gio Carrara, Edwin Hurtado, and Antonio Castillo motivated and tutored the pitcher, who benefited from the competition: “when you pitch during the finals against the Navegantes of Magallanes or the Leones of Caracas and face their lineup, with proven big leaguers like Melvin Mora, Endy Chávez, Edgardo Alfonzo, Richard Hidalgo, Carlos García, Omar Vizquel, Roger Cedeño, Bob(by) Abreu, and Henry Blanco … and then you got to the United States to play Rookie or Class A baseball, you can only imagine how I fared against those kids. I’d strike out everyone!” 10

Escobar finished his rookie year with 14 saves and a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings. The rookie sensation arrived at the park early and worked hard. However, Escobar’s versatility led to instability during his years in Toronto. Neither GM Gordon Ash nor Gaston and his managerial successors would carve out a permanent role for Escobar. He would enter a game in long relief, close in the late innings if needed, or spot-start when someone else went down with an injury. Escobar won 58 games with the Blue Jays and saved another 58, an odd statistic. He started 101 games, relieved in another 200, and struck out 744 batters in 849 innings. He swung from a 38-save season in 2022 to a 13-9, 159-strikeout, 26-start performance a year later.

The Swiss army knife would always watch the game to analyze the opposing hitters and pitchers. Though Toronto was no longer the 1992-1993 World Series-winning juggernaut, the franchise contended in the AL East. The 1999 David Wells-Clemens trade solidified Escobar as the third starter, behind Hengen and Carpenter, as Billy Koch took over the closer role. According to Escobar, Wells took him under his wing: “David Wells taught me how to pitch inside, without fear.” 11

However, Escobar’s role changed again. The arrival of Halladay and Estaban Loaíza, along with the trade of Koch to Oakland, returned Escobar to the bullpen as the full-time closer in 2002. In 2003, his last year with the Blue Jays, he was a swingman: 26 starts, 15 relief appearances, 13 wins, and 4 saves.

New GM J.P. Ricciardi offered Escobar a two-year, $10 million contract. Agent Peter Greenberg, a close associate of the entire Escobar family, counseled the pitcher to test the free-agent waters. On November 24 the Angels signed Escobar to a three-year, $18.8 million deal.

Middle relief, starter, or closer? Escobar did not mind his role and was prepared to do whatever the Angels needed. Anaheim envisioned him as a starter. The team’s bullpen was a veritable embarrassment of riches: Scot Shields, Kevin Gregg, Brendan Donnelly, Francisco Rodríguez, and Troy Percival. The staff even boasted Ramón Ortiz, who like Escobar could thrive in middle relief or as a spot starter. 

Escobar quickly became the number two starter behind Bartolo Colón, himself a newcomer. The Latin aces led the rotation for the AL West champion Angels, who returned to the postseason after a one-year absence. Escobar started 33 games and struck out 191 hitters in 208⅓ innings. However, his teammates scored only 3.9 runs in his starts, so his team-leading 3.93 ERA produced only an 11-12 record. The club’s 92 wins were no match for the 2004 Boston Red Sox, a team of destiny, which swept Anaheim in the Division Series.

Injuries hampered Escobar in 2005. Limited to 59⅔ innings during the regular season, he proved pivotal in the LDS against the Yankees. He won the second game of the series and held the Angels’ lead in the third and fifth contests for closer Rodríguez. In seven innings, he allowed only one run, on a Derek Jeter home run. His luck – and Anaheim’s – changed in the LCS against another Sox team. This time, it was Chicago’s turn to break its decades-long World Series drought. Escobar appeared in two games (4⅓ innings, three runs, but only one earned) and lost both contests, twice bested by Joe Crede in pivotal at-bats.

As 2006 began, general manager Bill Stoneman removed any contract distractions and signed Escobar to a three-year, $28.5 million extension. The GM noted that “Kelvim was a crucial part of the success of our pitching staff. I love the idea of him being on our team through 2009.” 12

Escobar rewarded the team with a 3.61 ERA in 30 starts, a powerful one-two punch with John Lackey. The team again contended but faltered down the stretch and finished second behind Oakland. Escobar was saddled again with a losing record (11-14) despite almost three times as many strikeouts as walks.

He was even better in 2007. Escobar won a career-high 18 games (sixth highest in the AL) and lowered his ERA to 3.40. However, he faltered down the stretch after spending more of the summer limiting opponents to fewer than three runs a game. He did not garner a single vote for the Cy Young Award, which went to CC Sabathia. The Angels again met the Red Sox in the Division Series but were stymied during Boston’s march to another World Series title.

The Angels and Escobar both hoped for an encore in 2008, but he experienced severe pain during the winter and rested his arm for two months. The malady proved to be worse than expected: a shoulder tear required season-ending surgery, and he had to settle for three innings with Rancho Cucamonga and two in the Arizona Rookie League during his rehabilitation.

The second year of Escobar’s contract extension was not much better. In two games with Rancho Cucamonga, he dominated hitters (10⅔ IP, two hits, one run, 75 pitches in two games). He could not have been happier with the result and noted that “the doctors told me the true test for someone with my type of shoulder surgery is the first 70 or 75 pitches. I did not feel any more pain than usual the next day. I woke up super happy. I threw hard, used all my pitches, had command, and even put in extra speed to overpower hitters. It couldn’t have gone any better.” 13

Although he was roughed up in one start with Triple-A Salt Lake (five innings, four earned runs), Escobar returned to the big leagues on June 6 in Detroit and was a hard-luck loser. He allowed two runs in five innings against the Tigers, but Los Angeles mustered only one run in a 2-1 defeat. A solid outing – although at $9.5 million, costly for the Angels.

Escobar’s future with the franchise was no longer in Scioscia’s hands. Stoneman was no longer the GM, and Tony Reagins understood a sunk cost. Despite the track record of Dr. David Altchek’s Hospital for Special Surgery – responsible for healing Bobby Bonilla, Bret Saberhagen, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera – the Angels released Escobar on November 6, despite one year and $9.5 million left on his contract.

On December 26, 2009, the New York Mets signed Escobar to an incentive-laden contract. The franchise’s medical director, Dr. Altchek, had performed the pitcher’s July 2008 surgery, and vouched for his health. However, Escobar suffered from right labrum inflammation during spring training and began the season on the injured list. The discomfort did not improve, and the team transferred Escobar to the 60-day IL. He was released in November.

Despite the setback, Escobar was hopeful he could return to the major leagues: “I was close to retiring but decided against it. For a year I was away from the stadiums and baseball fields.” 14 The rest, combined with a strong exercise program, kept his hope alive. While showing his form to scouts assembled by his longtime agent Greenberg, Escobar admitted “T]his will be my last attempt to return to baseball. I’ve spent a lot of time in therapy and rehabilitation and it’s not easy. It takes a mental and physical toll. I’ve had a long career. If this is the end, then so be it but I am still hopeful.” 15

The Milwaukee Brewers saw a glimmer of hope and invited Escobar to spring training in 2013. He was released on March 10, a bitter end to his comeback: “I was disappointed because they told me one thing but did another. I signed with Milwaukee because its manager (Ron Roenicke) was the third-base coach with the Angels. The GM called me personally and promised I would have a much better opportunity with the Brewers than any other team.” 16 He told the author that “Terry Francona (Cleveland Indians) called me every so often to sign with them.” 17

In the end, Escobar acknowledged that his shoulder was not the same. He continued to play in Venezuela through the 2012-2013 season and in Mexico until 2013 He retired early – a premature goodbye to the game, having thrown his last major-league pitch at 33. In hindsight, surgery may have been the wrong decision. Perhaps he could have reinvented himself with lower velocity or a reduced repertoire, like Zack Greinke, Freddy García, and Félix Hernández, pitchers who remained productive after serious injuries zapped their blinding velocity.

Escobar is still beloved in his hometown, where he is known as “the monarch of the Savanah” thanks to his charitable efforts. He is active in nurturing the third generation of his family. Four-second cousins Luisangel Acuña (Texas Rangers), Maikel Garcia (Kansas City Royals), Hugo Cardona (Toronto), and Royman Blanco (Boston Red Sox) blossomed as minor-league prospects.

Escobar’s sons have also sought to continue the family tradition. As of 2024, Kevin is a teenager, but baseball was not his path, while Kelvim Jr.’s time may have passed: “He hadn’t pitched and when he started, playing against kids from baseball academies, he was slow to develop. However, he’s quite good at basketball.” 18

Escobar and his cousins started the La Sabana Baseball Academy (Academia de Béisbol de La Sabana) in 2015. Now named after the family, the foundation has helped more than 400 children with donations of equipment and covering transportation costs for cross-province competitions. The organization is recognized by the MLB Trainer Partnership Program 19 and counts his uncle José Escobar, Ronald Acuña Sr., Víctor Sánchez, and Luis Blanco among its coaches.

Kelvin lives in Atlanta as of 2024 but remains very connected to his hometown thanks to social media and follows closely the successful career of his cousin Ronald Acuña Jr.. Had he not been blessed with baseball talent, he may have been an artist: “I consider myself a frustrated musician. I love percussion … In La Sabana, I used to play the timbales (the leather drums). Making a living in music is not easy, it takes time, practice and dedication and I don’t have time for it.” 20 Nevertheless, he has appeared in various music videos for Latin artists across various genres. He remains in love with baseball and is always open to opportunities to help a major-league franchise in baseball operations, as a scout, or as a coach.

Last revised: January 31, 2026

Sources

In addition to the sources referenced in the Notes, the author consulted El Emergente, Pelota Binaria, The Sporting News, and Baseball Reference.

Photo credit: Kelvim Escobar, Getty Images.

Notes

1 During Escobar’s tenure with the Angels, the club changed its name from Anaheim Angels to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Years after he retired from the major leagues, the franchise truncated its moniker to the Los Angeles Angels.

2 Seven retired Venezuelan-born pitchers have at least 100 major-league wins: Félix Hernández (169), Freddy García (156), Johan Santana (139), Carlos Zambrano (132), Aníbal Sánchez (112), Wilson Álvarez (102), and Kelvim Escobar (101). Carlos Carrasco had 107 victories as of the start of the 2024 season and remained active.

3 In 2009 only five active pitchers had at least 200 career starts and 50 career saves: Derek Lowe, John Smoltz, Ryan Dempster, Tom Gordon, and Escobar.

4 Kelvim Escobar interview with author, conducted in February 2022.

5 Rob Rains, “The Rich Get Richer,” The Sporting News, November 11, 1996: 33-34.

6 Manuel Sarmiento was the first, on July 30, 1976. Since Escobar, two others have debuted as relievers and won their maiden game: Sergio Escalona on May 17, 2019, and Adbert Alzolay on June 20, 2019.

7 “La Estrella Invitada en Instagram: Kelvim Escobar,” YouTube interview, Sojo Productions, May 13, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXFjRI10AiY.

8 “La Estrella Invitada en Instagram: Kelvim Escobar.”

9 “Kelvim Escobar: ‘Ronald Acuña Aún Está Aprendiendo,” YouTube interview, ElVillasmil 024, April 28, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INJ3Ai4Da8c&ab_channel=ElVillasmil024.

10 “Instagram Live: Kelvim Escobar,” YouTube interview, Meridiano Oficial, April 18, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlhtQgoW8DM&ab_channel=MeridianoOficial.

11 “La Estrella Invitada en Instagram: Kelvim Escobar.”

12 “La Estrella Invitada en Instagram: Kelvim Escobar.”

13 Author’s interview.

14 Author’s interview.

15 Author’s interview.

16 “La Estrella Invitada en Instagram: Kelvim Escobar.”

17 Author’s interview.

18 “La Estrella Invitada en Instagram: Kelvim Escobar.”

19 Trainer Partnership Program MLB. The Trainer Partnership Program is a collaboration between Major League Baseball and independent trainers to help develop international baseball while addressing important issues in the international market. https://www.mlb.com/trainer-partnership.

20 Author’s interview.