Thairo Estrada and His Future With the Colorado Rockies

On Thursday, not long after his one-year deal with a mutual option for the 2026 campaign became official, Thairo Estrada was ready to embrace his role in helping rebuild the Colorado Rockies.

What that role is, however, could fluctuate as the year goes along, depending on not only if he can once again find his health and swing, but also how much the next generation of Rockies are pushing to make their debuts at Coors Field.

There is no question the 28-year-old Estrada has the potential to help a Colorado offense that was historically bad in 2024. For one example, this team set a modern-era record by trailing in 31 consecutive games.

Estrada flashed that potential in 2022 and 2023 with the San Francisco Giants, stealing a combined 44 bases while hitting 28 homers and logging a .266/.319/.408 slash line. His combined OPS+ of 103 during that time would have finished tied for third among all Rockies who played in more than 100 games last season.

Part of that damage during that stretch came against the Rockies at Coors Field, a stadium where Estrada holds a .348/.406/.565 slash line in 102 plate appearances. Seeing those numbers has the Rockies salivating at the possibility of what he could do in Denver.

Thairo Estrada • 09/06/2021 pic.twitter.com/OSDfDBbbv4

— Random Homers (@randomdingers) January 9, 2025

However, Colorado fans have walked down this tantalizing path before. The signings of Ian Desmond (Dec. 2016) and Daniel Murphy (Dec. 2018) were supposed to bring instant offense to the infield, and neither proved to be any kind of a consistent extra-base threat during their ill-fated tenures with the Rockies.

And that is the reason for slight hesitation before proclaiming Estrada a quick cure for Colorado’s offense in 2025. While he powered the Giants in 2023, injuries and ineffectiveness in 2024 limited him to an OPS+ of 68 while slashing .217/.247/.343 in 381 plate appearances.

He eventually landed on waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, a stunning fall from being considered a key piece of the Giants just one year before.

“It was a tough year for me injury-wise, but thankfully, right now, I’m healthy,” Estrada said through an interpreter on Thursday. “After the year of having ups and downs that I had last year, which, as a baseball player, you never want to deal with that, but that’s the reality that some of us have to face. Thankfully, this year, I’m healthy and I see this as a new opportunity.”

What Comes Next for Thairo Estrada, Colorado Rockies?

It’s not only a new opportunity for Estrada to reestablish himself as a player, but it’s also a chance for the Rockies to see if his role in 2025 is simply a placeholder for prospects Adael Amador or Ryan Ritter at second base or something much more.

Our own Aram Leighton did a deep dive into Amador’s skill set in this article, and the Rockies are hoping to see more of it at Coors Field in 2025 … but that will depend on Amador. The 21-year-old switch hitter made his MLB debut last season but struggled in his time with the Rockies, going 6-for-35 with just one extra-base hit.

Amador will likely start the year at Triple-A and, with Estrada in the fold, can develop at his own pace. That’s a luxury for the Rockies, a team that is expected to rely heavily on youth this season as it tries to find a formula that won’t result in the franchise’s third consecutive 100-loss season.

Ritter, meanwhile, has rocketed up Colorado’s depth chart and has grabbed the attention of the Rockies because of what he can do at the plate and in the field. Like Amador, Ritter battled through some injuries last season that kept him from realizing his full potential. As Jack Etkin mentioned in this Baseball America article, the 24-year-old Ritter was slashing .286/.389/.431 on July 23 before a high ankle sprain short-circuited his season. Hoping to shake off the rust in the Arizona Fall League, back soreness limited him to 14 games.

Needless to say, Amador and Ritter both will enter 2025 with something to prove. How they bounce back, and how long before Amador or Ritter takes over at second base is perhaps one of the most interesting timelines to watch this season in Denver.

If Estrada is healthy and becomes not only a threat at the plate but also on the bases again, manager Bud Black would likely stick with the veteran as long as possible. With a one-year deal (plus the mutual option), Estrada will likely be given every chance to stay at second base, meaning it might be his job to lose rather than Amador’s or Ritter’s to win.

There is also the realistic chance that Estrada could bloom into something more than just a one- or two-year fix in Denver. At 28, with a skill set at the plate that could translate well to the alleys at Coors Field, what if Estrada blossoms into someone who becomes an offensive mainstay in purple for years to come?

Sure, it might be a stretch … but it’s also not out of the realm of possibility.

There is also the possibility that Estrada impacts the Rockies outside of second base as well. Even though Colorado is position-heavy in the outfield, Estrada did see action in 22 games there during his hot stretch with the Giants in 2022-23. He also has spent some time at shortstop, meaning he could spell Gold Glove winner Ezequiel Tovar if needed.

However, those are certainly plan Bs for Black. With the Rockies non-tendering Gold Glove winner Brendan Rodgers, it was clear there was a need at second base. The team signed Kyle Farmer in November as a potential solution, but, entering his age-34 season, the veteran infielder will likely slide into a utility player role in Denver.

That, by the way, is the role that Aaron Schunk filled for the Rockies after his late-July MLB debut last season. He will return this year as well, giving Colorado plenty of options for versatility at second, shortstop, and third.

Simply put, Estrada is the plan (for now) at second base for the Rockies in 2025. While he will likely have to earn the spot in spring training, he will be the heavy favorite to win the role.

“I’m ready for spring training and, more importantly, excited for this opportunity to play baseball,” Estrada said. “You know that’s the biggest thing … to play baseball and enjoy it, and that’s what I am looking forward to do.”