Yunel Escobar Almenares (born November 2, 1982) is a Cuban-born American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Angels. While he primarily played shortstop during his career, Escobar later transitioned to third base.\n', '

Escobar was born in Havana, Cuba. Brayan Peña, a former teammate of Escobar with the Atlanta Braves, was Escobar\'s best friend growing up in Cuba, with the two boys often playing on the same team and sharing bats, gloves, and cleats.\n', '

In 2004, Escobar defected from Cuba by sea, and landed in the Florida Keys.\n', '

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