According to numerous sources, the SF Giants and second baseman Thairo Estrada reached a one-year contract agreement to avoid arbitration.
Three players on the San Francisco Giants who are eligible for arbitration were still looking for new contracts at the beginning of the day, since the MLB arbitration deadline is this afternoon. Second baseman Thairo Estrada, who signed a one-year, $4.7 million contract with the team, was the first to step aside. Giants Baseball Insider received confirmation of the agreement from a source after Kiley McDaniel of ESPN initially reported it.
The Giants’ 2023 Willie Mac Award winner was Thairo Estrada, who enjoyed one of his best seasons to date, hitting.271/.315/.416 with 14 home runs and a career-high 23 stolen bases. Re-signing him as a cornerstone for the Giants’ infield is a no-brainer; at just 27, he’s a quiet leader in the clubhouse. With 19, he has the most outs above average of any Giant since the statcast era’s inception, ranking second in the league.
Estrada, the current Willie Mac Award winner, was one of the Giants’ most dynamic players the previous campaign. Despite finishing the season with a.271/.315/.416 batting line, 14 home runs, and 23 stolen bases, the 27-year-old had gotten off to an explosive start prior to missing three weeks due to a fractured hand sustained after being struck by a pitch. After his comeback, he continued to be a reliable player and a top defensive player, but his offensive output from the beginning of the season was not up to par. Compared to his $2.25 million compensation from the previous season, his pact for 2024 will provide him with a substantial rise.
Prior to being surpassed by other players in the organization and appearing to reach a plateau as a depth infield player, Estrada was a high prospect with the New York Yankees. One of Farhan Zaidi’s better moves to date was the Giants’ minor trade of Estrada for financial considerations, taking advantage of a roster crisis facing the Bronx Bombers. Estrada soon proved to be a valuable platoon hitter with the team in 2021, but emerged as the Giants main second baseman in 2022.