NEW YORK (AP) — Second baseman Thairo Estrada was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Friday and immediately inserted into the cleanup spot for his Colorado Rockies debut against the New York Mets.
Estrada had been sidelined all season with a broken right wrist. He batted .304 (7 for 23) in five rehab games with Triple-A Albuquerque.
Interim manager Warren Schaeffer thinks Estrada can provide a boost for a reeling team that was 9-47 — the worst record through 56 games of any major league club in the modern era (since 1901).
“I think it’s going to be a big addition,” Schaeffer said. “I mean, everyday second baseman. Got a lot of big league experience. The way he plays the game — hard. He takes everything seriously. He loves baseball.”
The 29-year-old Estrada is a .251 career hitter with 48 home runs, 52 stolen bases and a .694 OPS in six major league seasons. He broke into the big leagues with the New York Yankees in 2019 and spent the past four years with San Francisco.
A right-handed hitter, Estrada was set to bat fourth against Mets left-hander David Peterson in the opener of a three-game series at Citi Field.
“It fits there today against a left-hander,” Schaeffer said. “Thairo’s a professional hitter. For me, you can hit him anywhere in the lineup.”
In another roster move, the Rockies selected the contract of outfielder Sam Hilliard from Albuquerque and he was available off the bench.
Colorado outfielder Nick Martini was designated for assignment. The club optioned infielder Adael Amador to Triple-A on Thursday.
“Just shaking things up a little bit,” Schaeffer said. “Sam brings speed. Sam brings a solid glove in the outfield. My style of baseball is putting the ball in play and running, and being aggressive.”
Estrada in January. He has a $3.25 million salary this year and the deal includes a $7 million mutual option for 2026 with a $750,000 buyout.
His wrist was broken during a spring training game in March when he was hit by a 97 mph sinker from Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker.
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