The Baltimore Orioles continue to add depth as the regular season approaches. With spring training underway, Baltimore signed former New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants infielder Thairo Estrada to a minor-league contract with a non-roster invite.
The 30-year-old brings seven seasons of major league experience, including productive years in San Francisco. While he is not guaranteed a roster spot, Estrada provides infield flexibility and veteran depth as the Orioles finalize their roster decisions.
According to Major League Baseball’s official transaction log, the deal was completed Monday. Estrada will now compete for a potential bench role during camp.
Estrada’s strong stretch in San Francisco
Estrada enjoyed his best stretch from 2021 to 2023 with the Giants. Across 312 games during that span, he hit .266/.320/.416 with 35 home runs, 133 RBIs, and 153 runs scored. He debuted with the Yankees in 2019 and has accumulated 436 hits and 4.4 bWAR over seven partial MLB seasons.
Thairo Estrada #39 of the Rockies throws to first base. Jason Miller/Getty Images
Recent struggles and opportunity in Baltimore
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However, in the past two seasons, Estrada posted negative WAR in 2024 and was removed from San Francisco’s 40-man roster. After signing with the Colorado Rockies last year, he began the season on the injured list due to a fractured wrist and struggled to regain consistent form.
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Because Estrada has more than five years of MLB service time, his contract likely includes an opt-out clause if he does not make the big-league roster. For Baltimore, the move represents a low-risk addition with potential upside if the veteran infielder returns to his previous level of production.
