SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies second baseman Thairo Estrada sustained a non-displaced fracture in his right wrist and will miss ¡°anywhere from 4-8 weeks,¡± manager Bud Black said on Friday.
Estrada, 29, signed to a one-year contract with a 2026 mutual option to provide a lineup spark, was hit on the right wrist by a pitch from the Rangers¡¯ Kumar Rocker during Colorado's 7-4 victory on Thursday night at Surprise Stadium.
Before Thursday¡¯s injury, Estrada had missed nearly a week with a head injury after being inadvertently kicked in the back of the neck during a tag play at second base last Saturday.
Estrada, who had spent the previous four seasons with the Giants and broke in with the Yankees the previous two years, was the Rockies¡¯ choice after 2022 Gold Glove winner Brendan Rodgers was non-tendered last offseason. Black installed him in the middle of the order this spring, and Estrada responded by batting .400 (14-for-35) with a triple and three stolen bases.
Quickly, chemistry was forming with 2024 Gold Glove shortstop Ezequiel Tovar.
¡°He came into camp looking great, moving well,¡± said Black, who said Estrada will be X-rayed again in four weeks. ¡°He was having a good spring with the bat. It looked to be a really good fit. This is part of what happens in professional sports. It happens across the landscape of the game.¡±
Estrada¡¯s absence will force some decisions in regard to the season-opening infield.
Veteran Kyle Farmer, signed to spell not only Estrada and Tovar, but also third baseman Ryan McMahon, will be looked at as the starter in Estrada¡¯s stead, which would mean the Rockies would also need a dependable player for Farmer¡¯s assigned part-time role. In Major League camp are non-roster players Owen Miller (hitting .262 in 23 games this spring) and Aaron Schunk (.067 in 21 games). Miller has practiced in center field to increase his versatility.
Could the Rockies go young? The club has optioned its No. 7 prospect, Adael Amador, to Triple-A Albuquerque. Amador, who turns 22 on April 11, struggled last season with an oblique injury, and with the transition from shortstop to second base, both at Double-A Hartford and when called to the Majors briefly. However, Amador has made notable improvement this spring, but was sent down for regular playing time to complete the transition.
Also, in the final days of Spring Training, players with Major League service time who are on Minor League deals and don¡¯t break camp with their clubs could be available as free agents, and their talents could further affect roster construction. There also could be trade fits. Whatever happens could be temporary, barring other injuries or issues, since the Rockies will return to Estrada once he is healthy.