August 20, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez (44) celebrates with Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Michael A. Taylor (18) after scoring during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Image by Kevin Jairaj-Imagn The Pittsburgh Pirates designated first baseman Rowdy Tellez for assignment Tuesday, a move that saved the team $200,000 in performance bonuses it just missed.
Tellez gets a bonus if he gets 425 appearances this season, and he has 421.
The Pirates, who have been eliminated from postseason contention, began the day with six games remaining in the season.
Tellez has signed a one-year, $3.2 million contract in the offseason with several incentives triggered by plate appearances, potential All-Star selections and postseason honors.
“It wasn’t a factor at all,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of the decision before his team’s 7-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. “You come in when the minor league season is over and these guys are here. That’s the most important thing in the decision.”
Pittsburgh general manager Ben Cherington also defended the timing, saying the bonus was “zero factor in the decision.”
“Aware, of course. I know the contract that all the players have,” Cherington said. “There is no factor, zero. And, no, I am not concerned. If you ask about advanced optics and how it affects business and things like that, no. Contracts are negotiated in good faith. Then they live. .
“We feel like we gave Rowdy a lot of opportunities here this year. To give him credit, he battled through some tough times early in the year and fought his way out of it. There’s been success and periods of frustration. That’s just where we’re not related to his plate appearances. mentioned.”
Tellez, 29, hit 13 home runs and drove in 56 runs while hitting .243 in 131 games.
The Pirates also designated veteran outfielder Michael A. Taylor for assignment and recalled outfielder Joshua Palacios and infielder Liover Peguero from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.
Taylor, unlike Tellez, did not get close to the performance bonus. Cherington said cutting players is a tough part of the business, but he doesn’t expect any problems on the team because of the timing of Tellez’s release.
“Guys know where we are,” Cherington said. “In the old days of expanded rosters, we probably wouldn’t sit here to talk. But there are 28 places, and 14 will go to the position of players. We feel that we have to get 14 people in the team. , wherever we can, who have a chance the best to contribute over this year I think our players know.
“It doesn’t mean it’s easy. The players have a relationship. I think you can respect who the guy is and respect him and be a good friend to him… and also understand that it’s part of the game. . That’s one of the things that I think both it can be true at the same time.”
Tellez has hit .234 with 105 home runs and 319 RBIs over seven seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays (2018-21), Milwaukee (2021-23) and Pittsburgh, spanning 664 games.
Taylor, 33, signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh in the offseason and hit .193 with five home runs, 21 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 113 games.
In 11 seasons with the Washington Nationals (2014-20), Kansas City Royals (2021-22), Minnesota Twins (2023) and Pirates, Taylor has hit .235 with 100 home runs, 120 stolen bases and 353 RBIs in 1,082 games.
Palacios, 29, has hit .230 with two homers and seven RBIs in 20 games with Pittsburgh this season.
A fourth-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016, Palacios has spent part of four seasons in the majors with the Blue Jays (2021), Nationals (2022) and Pirates (2023-present) and has hit .231 with 12 home runs. walks and 53 RBI in 153 games.
Peguero, 23, has played in 60 games with the Pirates since 2022, hitting .239 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs.
He hit .257 with 13 home runs and 79 RBI in 128 games in Indianapolis this season. He led all of Pittsburgh’s minor leagues in RBIs, doubles (29) and hits (127) and tied for second with 46 extra-base hits. In six seasons in the minors, Peguero has hit .268 with 56 home runs and 280 RBI in 516 games.
–Field Level Media
