Hunter Goodman wins Silver Slugger as first Rockies catcher to nab the award
The Rockies’ Hunter Goodman hammered out a milestone 2025 season. On Thursday, Goodman won the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award for a catcher in the National League. The 26-year-old became the first Rockies catcher to win the award. In 144 games, Colorado’s lone All-Star slashed .278/.323/.520 with 31 homers, 28 doubles, five triples and 91 RBIs. Goodman was the first NL catcher to hit 30 home runs in a season since the Braves’ Javy Lopez hit 43 in 2003. He was also the first Rockies player to hit at least 30 home runs since Charlie Blackmon (32), Trevor Story (35), and Nolan Arenado (41) in 2019. Goodman’s home runs, 150 hits, 64 extra-base hits and 91 RBIs are all the most by a Rockies primary catcher in a single season in franchise history. He is one of six catchers to hit at least 30 home runs and drive in at least 90 runs in their age-25 season or younger. Goodman joined Rudy York (1937-38), Joe Torre (1966), Johnny Bench (1970, ’72), Mike Piazza (1993) and Gary Sanchez (2017). The Silver Slugger is the top offensive award in Major League Baseball, presented to the season’s best hitters at each position as selected by a vote of MLB coaches and managers in their respective leagues. Thairo Estrada becomes free agent The Rockies enter the offseason searching for a solution at second base. After declining the 2026 option for veteran second baseman Thairo Estrada on Monday, Colorado outrighted him off the 40-man major league roster on Thursday, and Estrada opted for free agency. Estrada was limited to 39 games in 2025 because of injuries. He broke his right wrist in spring training, then suffered a sprained left thumb and a strained right hamstring during the regular season. Estrada hit .253 with three home runs and 21 RBIs. Related Articles Who is Paul DePodesta? What to know about Rockies’ new head of baseball operations. Paul DePodesta to be named Rockies’ head of baseball operations, source says Rockies Journal: Front-office search offers few answers, plenty of speculation Thairo Estrada’s $7 million option for 2026 declined by Rockies Rockies’ top front-office candidates no longer in running for job, according to source Also on Thursday, Colorado claimed right-handed reliever Garrett Acton off waivers from Tampa Bay. Acton, 27, made his big-league debut in 2023, playing six games with the A’s and posting a 12.71 ERA. Last year at Triple-A Durham, Acton went 5-1 with a 3.68 ERA in 45 games, including four starts. He pitched one scoreless inning for the Rays. In four minor league seasons, Acton is 16-12 with a 4.39 ERA in 151 games (six starts), and he has 283 strikeouts vs. 85 walks. The Rockies currently have 39 players on their 40-man roster. Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.
