SAN FRANCISCO — Thairo Estrada is in the Giants’ lineup for Wednesday night’s game against Milwaukee, but his time in the orange and black may soon be coming to an end.
Just before Game 2 of the series against the Brewers, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported, citing league sources, that Estrada and lefty relievers Taylor Rogers and Tyler Matzek had been placed on waivers, making the veterans available to any team willing to cover the remainder of their 2024 salaries.
While a surprising report on paper, these types of waivers have become more common and exploded last year when the Los Angeles Angels controversially waived six players to avoid taxes. Rodgers is owed just over $2 million the rest of this year and $12 million for the 2025 MLB season, so the Giants could save a lot if someone claims him.
Estrada is due approximately $850,000 in signing bonuses for the remainder of this season and is arbitration eligible this winter. Given Estrada’s lackluster performance, the Giants felt it was likely they would opt out of his contract in the offseason and let him become a free agent anyway. Estrada was one of the league’s most productive second basemen last season but has struggled with hand injuries this year and entered Wednesday’s game batting just .246 with a .591 OPS.
Rodgers is having a strong season, but manager Bob Melvin has prioritized young left-hander Eric Miller in high-leverage situations. Matzek was acquired a month ago in the Jorge Soler trade and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. He’s due to make about $560,000 the rest of the year.
Estrada would be the biggest departure, as he was considered a pillar of the team just a year ago. The Giants currently have Tyler Fitzgerald locked in center field, and rival evaluators have projected the Giants could acquire a free-agent shortstop this winter, pushing Fitzgerald to second base. Brett Wiseley and Casey Schmidt are also candidates, as is Marco Luciano, a promising prospect working at second base in Triple-A this summer.
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