ATLANTA -- Eduardo Escobar homered and made the defensive play of the night at third base in his debut in Friday’s 9-5 win over the Braves, but the Brewers won’t waste much time before trying him at first base. There’s a lefty on the schedule Saturday in Atlanta starter Kyle Muller, and Brewers manager Craig Counsell didn’t rule out Escobar playing at first base in this series at Truist Park.

“We've done more drastic things than this in the past,” Counsell quipped. “We've had experiments that were less likely to succeed than this one.”

Escobar has never played first in his professional career, but the Brewers think the switch-hitting veteran power threat can help fill a void at the position as a right-handed hitter against left-handed pitching. That was supposed to be a role filled by former first-round pick Keston Hiura, but he’s slumped all season and was demoted back to Triple-A Nashville on Friday to clear a spot for Escobar’s arrival.

The Brewers picked up Escobar in a trade with the D-backs on Wednesday. He arrived on Friday with a first-base mitt.

“Asdrúbal Cabrera gave me a glove,” Escobar said. “When they traded me, somebody called me and said, ‘Hey, you're probably going to play first base.’ I said, ‘Yes.’ So, I talked to Asdrúbal Cabrera, and I said, ‘You know what? Give me your first-base glove. I'll send you another one. I need it now.’”

Escobar has played all over the field in his career, including shortstop. First base presents unique positioning challenges, particularly on cutoffs and relays, but given his extensive experience at the other infield corner and his reputation for a high baseball IQ, the Brewers think he’ll make a quick transition.

“I talked to the manager today. I told him, ‘Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do for you,’” Escobar said. “The most important thing for me is to play every day. I’ll give this manager the choice. If he needs me at first base, whatever position he needs me for. The most important thing for me is to help the team win. I’ve never played first base, but for this team to compete for the playoffs or make the World Series, you want to be out there all the time. I will come early and work at first base. I’ll be ready when they need me. I’ll try to make the manager’s job easier.”

He succeeded on that front in his first game wearing a Brewers uniform, hitting a solo homer to center field in the ninth that extended the lead to four and gave Josh Hader another night off, after making his presence felt defensively on the other side of the infield in the fifth.

With the Braves within three runs at 8-5 and threatening for more, Escobar paired with center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. on a beautiful double play to get reliever Brad Boxberger and the Brewers out of a jam. Bradley caught Stephen Vogt’s fly ball and, with Austin Riley trying to tag up from second, threw a bullet to Escobar at third. He had to step away from the bag to catch the throw and make a quick tag all in one movement to end the inning.

“It was a great play on both ends, and a big play,” Counsell said. “We were able to send [Boxberger] back out there and get our ‘pen in order. What he did in the fifth, he quieted their rally.”

“To have a guy like this,” said outfielder Avisaíl García of Escobar, a longtime friend, “is great for us. You saw it tonight, he played hard and gave good defense. That’s how he plays every day.”

Hiura demoted again
Friday marked the third time this season that the Brewers optioned Hiura to Triple-A Nashville to log at-bats in an attempt to shake a slump that dates to the start of the shortened 2020 season. His playing time had evaporated of late with the emergence of Rowdy Tellez.

“Having Keston here but not getting regular at-bats doesn’t make any sense for him or for us,” Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “So, this was coming as soon as we either made a transaction or got past the Trade Deadline. It’s the right move. I think Keston needs to play, and he’ll go down there and get at-bats and get going again.”

The Brewers did look into acquiring a right-handed-hitting first baseman on Friday, but no deal got close, according to Stearns.

“We looked at other, different options at almost every position, and certainly that was among them,” Stearns said. “We also feel that Escobar can fit that role. We acquired him in large part because he’s a very accomplished right-handed bat and he has positional versatility. So, I do think he can fit that role, and I think he’s going to for us and I think he’ll do well.”

Mystery team
Stearns dropped one intriguing carrot while discussing one of the most active, superstar-studded Trade Deadlines in memory.

“We did talk about a number of the more premium players that were moved,” Stearns said. “In certain circumstances, I think maybe our geographical location didn’t always help.”

With so many premium players moved, he could have been referring to any number of them. Could he have been referring to talks with the Cubs, who capped a furious trading session by dealing Kris Bryant and Craig Kimbrel on Friday? Both could have fit the Brewers’ needs, but the Cubs are in the division. Or perhaps Max Scherzer, who had veto rights over any trade from the Nationals, and eventually approved a deal to the Dodgers?

“We were involved in a number of discussions, and really, I don’t think we had anyone that I would deem untouchable for the right player,” Stearns said.