2023 SF Giants Willie Mac Award winner garnering interest from NL West division foe

Thairo Estrada's tenure with the SF Giants is over after he became a free agent earlier in the offseason, but he may not move that far. Thomas Harding of MLB.Com reports that the Colorado Rockies are in the market for a second baseman with the 2023 Willie Mac Award winner being one name to watch.

2023 SF Giants Willie Mac Award winner garnering interest from NL West division foe

It was not that long ago when trading for Estrada looked like a shrewd addition by the Giants' front office. He had an impressive debut with the club in 2021 when he posted an .813 OPS with seven home runs and 22 RBI in 132 plate appearances.

The Giants had Donovan Solano as the starting second baseman that season, but Estrada became an obvious replacement with the numbers he put up.

For the next several years, the 28-year-old held down second base and was often one of the team's more valuable players. Admittedly, that is a low bar for a team that has struggled to put up a winning record since 2022, but that should not take away from Estrada's solid all-around performance.

From 2022 - 2023, the right-handed bat slashed .266/.319/.408 (103 wRC+) with a 5.1 percent walk rate, 19.5 percent strikeout rate, and .142 ISO. He swiped 44 bases in 57 opportunities while playing above-average defense at second base, especially in 2023.

However, Estrada battled a pair of hand and wrist injuries over the past couple of seasons that likely affected his ability to hit. He slumped to a .590 OPS in 381 plate appearances last season before he was outrighted off of the 40-man roster in an unpopular move.

The Giants needed to improve at second base and that is one position that is relatively easy to upgrade. They knew that Estrada was going to be non-tendered, but the way they went about it was questionable.

On the other hand, the Rockies recently non-tendered Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers had been their starting second baseman for the past few seasons. If healthy, Estrada looks like a nice rebound option and is worth the flyer, especially if he is playing at Coors Field. With the team looking for a new second baseman, adding Estrada makes a lot of sense on paper.