ELK GROVE CA, (MPG) - The Pittsburgh Pirates released Rowdy Tellez before their game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, Sept. 24. An Elk Grove High School alumnus, Tellez had played for the Pirates for the entirety of the 2024 season.

According to his contract, Tellez was due a $200,000 bonus from the Pirates if he reached 425 total plate appearances for the season. 

The Pirates released Tellez with 421 plate appearances, just four shy of the plate appearances needed to get his bonus paid.  

The general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ben Cherington, told reporters prior to the Sept. 24 game that the bonus was not influential in the team's decision to cut ties with Tellez. 

“To his credit, he fought through some difficult times earlier in the year and fought his way out of it. (Tellez) had periods of success and periods of frustration. This is just where we got to in the season,” Cherington said. 

The decision came with six games remaining in the season and the team eliminated from playoff contention, but Tellez had been one of the few offensive bright spots for the team. 

As of Sept. 25, Tellez ranks fourth among all Pirates in hits with 93, tied for fourth in doubles with 18, tied for fourth in home runs with 13 and third in RBIs with 56. 

From the beginning of June to the end of July, Tellez was one of the hottest hitters in baseball. 

On July 25, Tellez was hitting for a .328 average with 39 hits, scored 18 runs, eight home runs, 28 RBIs and a .952 OPS since June 1. 

Although he continued to produce offensively in August with a slash line of .300/.325/.488, in 15 games in September he had five hits and slashed .116/.255/.209. 

Regardless, in the early months of the season Tellez was getting booed by the Pittsburgh faithful and was still able to pick himself up and put up elite offensive numbers. 

Jeff Frye, a former MLB player and agent, said in a video on X, “I can tell you as a former player and agent that the people in the front office know about the incentive bonuses, they know about the days they need to release you by, they know all that stuff. It’s their job to know that stuff.” 

Frye goes on to say that with the team out of playoff contention and a week left in the season, it is not true that this decision to release Tellez has nothing to do with the bonus. 

Although Frye does not know Tellez personally, he knows people who are close to Tellez and describes him as a great guy and a team player and references Tellez’s three pitching appearances during the team’s rough stretches. 

Tellez appeared in three games as a pitcher this season, posting 2.2 innings pitched, surrendering five hits and two earned runs in 15 batters faced.  

Something that the front office cannot measure through stats that will be missing from the Pirates clubhouse to end this season is his leadership. 

A week into the season Tellez defended all-star closer David Bednar after a series of blown saves. 

“We don’t do that around here; we’re a good team, we’re winning for a reason and we’re going to get back on track but what happened today is unacceptable. We as a group in Pittsburgh have to be better; he’s an all-star for a reason,” Tellez said. 

After a game on Aug. 1 where the Pirates’ 25-year-old phenom shortstop Oneil Cruz made three errors in their loss to the Houston Astros, Tellez had a heart-to-heart with him after the game that went viral on social media. 

Although the dialogue was not revealed by either player, analysts with the Pirates praised Tellez for talking to Cruz after he was visibly upset. 

“Guys understand where we are,” Cherington said. “In the old days of expanded rosters, we probably wouldn't be sitting here having this conversation, but there are 28 spots, and 14 are going to go to position players. We feel like we have to get the 14 guys on the team, wherever we can, who have the best chance to contribute past this year. I think our players understand that. Doesn’t mean it’s easy. Players have relationships.”