San Fransisco Giants Infielder Gives Thoughts After Being Placed on Waivers

The San Francisco Giants placed multiple players on waivers on Wednesday, one of them being a team leader.

Aug 23, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Thairo Estrada (39) celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. / Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday, the San Francisco Giants announced that they waived three players in what was a pretty surprising move. Among them were two left-handed relievers in Taylor Rogers and Tyler Matzek, as well as veteran infielder Thairo Estrada.

Not only was Estrada one of the most veteran players on the team, but he was one of the leaders. In 2023, he won the Willie Mac Award. The Willie Mac Award is an award given out every year by the Giants which is meant to honor the player that was most inspirational that season. It is voted on by the players and coaches.

It is an meaningful award in the San Francisco organization. It has been given out since 1980, and legends of the organization such as Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, Jeff Kent and others have won it.

While Estrada is in the midst of a down season, his recent past with the Giants is what made this move so shocking.

Last season, he had an OPS of .731 and hit 14 home runs en route to winning the award, but his struggles and injuries have made him expendable in the eyes of San Francisco.

After the game on Wednesday, he talked to the media and gave his thoughts and emotions on what had transpired.

"It happened to me once, but I don't think you ever get used to it. That's something that I just can't control. It's part of the game, but the one thing that I can control is just to go out there again and play as hard as I can and try to get my team some wins," the 28-year-old said to reporters.

Estrada was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees before joining the the Giants. While this is something that he has already experienced, it's something that surely isn't easy. That's especially true given the high stature he has among the team.

The waiving is yet another obstacle that the infielder has had to go through this year. He has been on the injured list twice, both times with a wrist injury. When he has been on the field, it hasn't gone much better.

Through 95 games, he has slashed .219/.249/.346 for a .595 OPS with nine home runs and 47 RBI. For a lot of the season, he has also split time with Brett Wisely at second base.

Should Estrada be picked up by another team, he would be a big loss for the clubhouse and as a leader of the team.

It could also signal that the team wants to get Marco Luciano playing time at second, where he has gotten reps at Triple-A. Regardless, this has the potential to be a big shakeup in San Francisco.