Seattle Mariners first baseman Rowdy Tellez has made the Opening Day roster and was formally selected to the team's 40-man roster on Tuesday. The Seattle Times' Adam Jude writes that Tellez changed the conversation at first base and designated hitter this spring and has earned a regular role to start the 2025 season. "Rowdy's had an outstanding spring and we're excited to go north with him," manager Dan Wilson said on Monday. The 30-year-old left-handed slugger made the roster over outfielder Mitch Haniger, who was released on Monday. He impressed by hitting .298 (14-for-47) with four doubles, three home runs and five RBI in 16 Cactus League games for the M's. It sounds like Tellez will be in the lineup regular at either first base or DH against right-handed pitchers, giving him some appeal for his power in deep-mixed and AL-only fantasy leagues.
The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent first baseman Rowdy Tellez to a minor-league deal that includes an invite to spring training. The Mariners are looking to add a little power at the left side of the plate. Last season, Tellez hit .243/.299/.392 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI across 131 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tellez hasn't quite been the same at the plate over the last two seasons, but he did hit 35 home runs during the 2022 campaign. The Mariners have Luke Raley, Donovan Solano, and Tyler Locklear who are all also fighting for a role at first base in Seattle. Tellez will have an uphill battle ahead of him to earn a spot on the 26-man roster.
Pirates Designate Rowdy Tellez, Michael Taylor For Assignment
The Pittsburgh Pirates designated first baseman Rowdy Tellez and outfielder Michael Taylor for assignment on Tuesday and recalled infielder Liover Peguero and outfielder Joshua Palacios from Triple-A Indianapolis in corresponding moves. The Pirates have decided to move on from a couple of veterans with the end of the 2024 regular season quickly approaching on Sunday. The 29-year-old Tellez has really struggled of late and will finish his season with a .243/.299/.392 slash line, a below-average .691 OPS, 13 home runs and 56 RBI in 131 games played for the Bucs. Connor Joe and Billy Cook figure to split first-base duties the rest of the week. Taylor, 33, hit a lowly .193/.253/.290 with five home runs, 21 RBI and 12 stolen bases in a reserve role in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez, catcher Joey Bart and infielder Jared Triolo are all on the bench for the start of Saturday's contest against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Connor Joe is manning first base and batting seventh, Yasmani Grandal is doing the catching and hitting sixth, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa is at third and hitting leadoff against Reds rookie right-hander Rhett Lowder. It will be the fifth time in the last 10 games that Tellez has found himself on the bench, as he has only two hits in his last 25 at-bats over nine games. Kiner-Falefa draws the most DFS intrigue on Saturday against a rookie hurler. Since coming over from the Blue Jays in a deadline trade this summer, IKF has hit .249 (45-for-181) for Pittsburgh with a homer, nine doubles, two triples, 10 RBI and seven stolen bases.
Rowdy Tellez Goes Deep In First Game Of Doubleheader
Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman and designated hitter smashed a two-run homer in a pinch-hit appearance during the Pirates' 5-3 loss on Saturday in the first game of their doubleheader. Tellez pinch-hit for Connor Joe in the bottom of the seventh and hit the two-run shot, his 13th of the season, off Nationals' right-hander Jacob Barnes. The lefty added on a walk in the bottom of the ninth before being pinch-ran for. The 29-year-old has started to turn things around after starting the season off very cold in April and May, hitting for an .853 OPS and knocking 11 of his 13 HR since June. Tellez's fantasy value is still somewhat subsided as he's mainly used as a platoon option vs right-handers, but he remains a solid option going forward. He's in the starting lineup for game two against Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker and will likely sit on Sunday against Nationals' lefty Patrick Corbin. Fantasy managers should plan appropriately.
Rowdy Tellez Riding Pine In Game 1 Of Doubleheader
Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez finds himself on the bench for Game 1 of a doubleheader on Saturday at PNC Park against the Washington Nationals with a left-hander on the mound. Connor Joe will make the start at first base and will bat seventh for Pittsburgh against Nationals rookie left-hander DJ Herz. Tellez has only 42 plate appearances against southpaws in 2024 and has gone 8-for-37 (.216) against them with two of his 12 homers on the year, so it's no surprise he's on the bench in this one, especially with two games on tap on Saturday in Pittsburgh. Joe, 32, represents a low-upside, deep-sleeper option for DFS lineups in the first game of the twin bill to kick off the action on Saturday. He has never faced Herz in his career and is hitting .245 (34-for-139) with three of his nine home runs on the year against left-handed pitching.
Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez (undisclosed) was forced from Wednesday's loss to the division-rival Chicago Cubs at PNC Park early due to an undisclosed injury in the eighth inning. Before departing the 14-10 loss, Tellez had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Tellez likely injured himself running to first base in the bottom of the seventh inning, but there is no word on the specific nature of his injury. The good news is Pittsburgh has an off day on Thursday, so if the 29-year-old's injury isn't serious, he could be back in action for Friday's series opener at Progressive Field against the Cleveland Guardians. If Tellez misses extended time with whatever is ailing him, Connor Joe, who replaced Tellez at first base on Wednesday, would benefit from extra playing time at the position.
Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez will take a seat in Wednesday's series finale against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field with a left-hander on the bump. Connor Joe will make the start at first base and will hit cleanup for the Pirates versus Rangers left-hander Andrew Heaney. Tellez has only faced left-handers 39 times this year and is hitting .206 (7-for-34) against them, so it's no surprise he will retreat to the bench in favor of the right-handed-hitting Joe. Overall, Tellez has been a modest source of power (10 homers) as corner-infield depth in deeper fantasy leagues in 2024. Joe has only faced Heaney two times in his career and has gone hitless. Versus southpaws this year, he's gone 33-for-127 (.260) with three of his seven home runs. He'll be a low-cost DFS sleeper for Wednesday's slate out of the cleanup spot for the Bucs.
Rowdy Tellez Goes Deep, Brings In Three Runs On Saturday
Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez went 3-for-4 with a home run and double to lead to the Pirates to a victory on Saturday afternoon. Tellez hit his 10th home run of the season in the fourth inning to score Oneil Cruz and knocked a ground-rule double later in the seventh which scored backstop Joey Bart. Entering this game, the 29-year-old has carried a solid .250 AVG through August with three doubles. Since June 1, the slugger has started to heat up as he boasts an excellent .300/.342/.506 slash line with eight long balls, 31 RBI, and 11 doubles. While Tellez rarely gets the call to start against left-handed pitchers, he is worth starting in most standard leagues, given his ability to hit right-handers quite well. Tellez should be expected to slot in the starting nine on Sunday as the Pirates are scheduled to face right-hander George Kirby.
Andrew McCutchen, Rowdy Tellez Sitting On Wednesday
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder/designated hitter Andrew McCutchen and first baseman Rowdy Tellez are out of the lineup on Wednesday for the series finale against the hosting San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Catcher Joey Bart is serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup, while Connor Joe will start at first and bat third against Padres left-hander Martin Perez. Yasmani Grandal is behind the dish and is hitting eighth. Fantasy managers will be said to see the 37-year-old McCutchen sitting, as he's opened the month of August by going 10-for-27 (.370) with three homers, a double, nine RBI and six runs scored in eight games. It's not a big surprise that Tellez is riding pine, as he's only seen 38 plate appearances this year against left-handed pitching, going 6-for-33 (.182) with two of his nine homers on the season.
Rowdy Tellez
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Mariners
