DENVER — The Rockies turned down their part of a mutual option with veteran second baseman Thairo Estrada on Monday. But because Estrada is eligible for arbitration, he remains on the Rockies’ 40-man Major League roster.
Remember last winter, when the Rockies signed Estrada as a free agent as an experienced middle-infield partner to pair him with fellow Venezuelan, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar? The combination seldom materialized.
Estrada was limited to 39 games, with injured list stints for a right wrist injury sustained in Spring Training, a left thumb injury in July and a season-ending left hamstring injury in August. Tovar, who had won a Gold Glove in 2024, went to the IL for extended stints because of a left hip injury in April and an oblique injury in June.
The result was they were together for 12 games.
The waylaid middle-infield plan was one of a myriad of plans gone wrong during a Majors-worst 43-119 season. Estrada, 29, batted .253 with three home runs and 21 RBIs. In 508 games over seven seasons with the Yankees (2019-20), Giants (2021-24) and Rockies, Estrada has hit .251 with 51 home runs and 216 RBIs.
But does a declined option mean goodbye?
Estrada, who will receive a $750,000 buyout, is headed into his final offseason of club control — with Nov. 21 looming as the deadline for the Rockies to tender him a contract offer for 2026.
Options for second base on the roster behind Estrada are light on experience, although 2025 rookie Ryan Ritter received valuable playing time — .241 in 60 games playing shortstop and second base while the intended pair nursed injuries.
Will the club try to re-pair Estrada and Tovar, stay young with Ritter or other homegrown options, or seek experience via trade or free agency?
For now, such decisions are being made by a committee of baseball officials still with the club, which parted ways with former general manager Bill Schmidt. But the looming question regarding Estrada, and all other roster issues, is the identity of the person making decisions.
Major League sources agreed with a report in The Athletic that the two assistant general managers who were publicly reported finalists for the leader of the baseball operation — Matt Forman of the Guardians and Adiel Sawdaye of the Diamondbacks — will not be getting that job. The Rockies haven’t commented on any remaining candidates.
According to a report Monday from the Boston Globe and reiterated by Major League sources, former relief pitcher Adam Ottavino, who pitched for the Rockies for seven of his 15 Major League seasons, has spoken to Rockies owner, chairman and CEO Dick Monfort and is expected to have further talks.
