When the Yankees traded for Rougned Odor, a corresponding 40-man roster move had to be made. Thairo Estrada was the victim of this roster move, getting DFA’d. This meant the Yankees could either deal him or he’d become a free agent. Instead of getting nothing, they traded Thairo Estrada to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations.
A utility-infielder, Thairo Estrada played only 61 games as a Yankee, with a 64 wRC+ and 0 fWAR. He was once considered a good prospect for the Yankees, but an injury sustained when he was shot and the subsequent surgery he had for the attempted attack on his life was botched, severely hindered his play. Estrada had been graded at a 40 FV prospect as recently as 2020 according to Fangraphs.
There’s no word yet as to how much money the Yankees got in return, but it’s better than nothing. The Giants will hope that Estrada can develop into a solid utility-infielder. He’s nothing more than a flyer, and he’s still only 25, so this is a buy they’re willing to make.
It’s not a major move, but Estrada had his moments as a Yankee, being a part of teams that were battered and bruised with injuries beyond belief. Estrada will finally get a shot to play, and maybe he gets things back on track.
