March 21, 2025

Colorado Rockies second baseman Thairo Estrada (wrist) took a significant step back in 2024. He was on the Giants at the time and slashed just .217/.247/.343 with nine home runs, 47 RBI, 43 runs, and two stolen bases in 96 games. This was a far cry from the 14 home runs and 23 steals he contributed with a .271 batting average in 2023. He dealt with a wrist injury at the end of May, which may have hampered his performance for the rest of the season. Luckily for Estrada, he'll be playing half of his games in Coors Field after signing with the Rockies on a one-year, $3.25 million deal. This gives him late-round sleeper appeal, as his contact-heavy approach would play nicely in his new home. ATC is projecting him to slash .259/.302/.397 with 12 home runs, 52 RBI, 55 runs, and 11 stolen bases in 464 plate appearances. He is basically free with an ADP of 332, and it's worth taking the chance to see if he opens the season looking like the 2023 version of himself. Update 3/21/25: Estrada was hit by a pitch in Thursday's Cactus League spring game against the Texas Rangers. He was diagnosed with a fractured wrist and will miss the next 4-to-8 weeks. Estrada is looking at a return sometime in May, and RotoBaller's rank has now fallen to 450 with the latest injury news, making him an injury stash in most leagues.--Jeremy Heist - RotoBaller