Like so many Venezuelan kids, Thairo Estrada grew up watching Felix Hernandez. He was only 9 years old when King Felix made his major league debut. Estrada had a dream, to share a diamond one day with Hernandez.
He just couldn’t imagine the first time would follow such an unbelievable script.
The Yankees’ versatile rookie will never forget Monday night. His first start in The Bronx was a fairy tale come to life. Facing his famous countryman, Estrada blasted the first homer of his career and made a clutch defensive play at shortstop to key a 7-3 Yankees’ victory that had to make a lot of people back home very happy.