Yankees prospect recovering well after being shot in Venezuela
New York Yankees prospect Thairo Estrada was shot during an alleged armed robbery attempt in Venezuela, manager Aaron Boone revealed on Friday.
According to Boone, a bullet is still lodged in Estrada’s right hip. Fortunately, it’s the only injury Estrada sustained. In more encouraging news, despite being in a lot of pain right now, it’s expected Estrada will be able to play “the bulk” of the 2018 season.
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Estrada, who’s in camp with the team, provided a few more details.
Estrada said he got robbed as he tried to enter a restaurant. Two suspects, who he thought were teenagers, asked him for money and his cellphone. He had neither. Then they shot him in the hip.
— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) February 16, 2018
This is just another in a string of scary incidents involving baseball players and their families in Venezuela.
Last week, we learned that the mother of Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Elias Diaz had been kidnapped in the family’s hometown of Maracaibo. Fortunately, she was rescued three days later and was found to be unharmed. Five members of a police anti-drug team are being investigated for their potential roles in the incident, according to Zulia state governor Omar Prieto.
In 2011, Wilson Ramos, a longtime big league catcher, was kidnapped and held until authorities could orchestrate a dramatic rescue.
“The situation out there (in Venezuela) is not very good, not very safe,” Estrada said on Friday, “As baseball players, it makes you think about not even going back anymore.”
That’s a sentiment that’s been echoed by several Venezuelan born baseball players, including Miguel Cabrera.
Fortunately, the situation was not as bad as it could have been for Estrada. The soon to be 22-year-old will be able to resume his career and continue trying to play his way into the Yankees future plans.
Estrada will enter the season as the Yankees top shortstop prospect and the team’s ninth best prospect overall, according to Baseball America. He hit .301 with six homers at Double-A Trenton last season.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Yahoo Sports Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
