SF Giants name Thairo Estrada 2023 Willie Mac Award winner
The SF Giants awarded young but wise Thairo Estrada with the 2023 Willie Mac Award prior to their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. Several previous winners were in attendance, as well as current players Brandon Crawford, LaMonte Wade Jr., Mike Yastrzemski, and Wilmer Flores.
John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
The Willie Mac award is named after Giants legend Willie McCovey and is voted on by the team each year. The award was first given in 1980 and aims to celebrate the characteristics that a Giants player shared with McCovey. According to a team press release, “Competitive Spirit, Ability and Leadership” were engraved on the trophy to characterize the qualities exemplified by McCovey and Estrada.
"First of all, I want to say thank you. I feel privileged and honored to receive this award." Estrada shared via Giants Director, Hispanic Communications & Marketing, Erwin Higueros.
The normally quiet Estrada made headlines earlier in the season for his impassioned speech to his fellow teammates. Then, the Giants were at something of a crossroads; on the cusp of a Wild Card spot with plenty of baseball left to climb up in the standings. Estrada urged the team, reportedly, to go out and play for each other because the team was truly talented enough to win if they fought.
At 27, he'll enter his sixth Major League Season in 2024 and be a young veteran voice the Giants will look to continue to lead the clubhouse, especially with the future of Brandon Crawford still in question.
This season, Estrada led the team in hits (133), doubles (26), and stolen bases (23). He has a league third-best +18 outs above average defensively, as well. His 23 stolen bases are a career-high and are the most by a Giant since 2012. Estrada's speed on the base paths has been integral in various wins in 2023.
In January, the Giants agreed to one-year, $2.25 million deal with Estrada, avoiding arbitration, and it was one of the best decisions they made in roster construction all season. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi will want to bring him back on a long-term deal if this year was any indication.
In his five years at the Major League level with the Yankees and Giants, Estrada has been an ongoingly consistent baseball player. He's played in 370 games and his career slash is .263/.317/.412 with 39 home runs.
