Pirates deny Rowdy Tellez four record appearances from $200,000 bonus
With the Pittsburgh Pirates out of the playoffs, first baseman Rowdy Tellez was playing for a chance to earn a $200,000 bonus based on plate appearances. He entered Tuesday with 421 plate appearances, four shy of earning that extra bonus.
For Tellez, the opportunity was lost. With five games remaining in the regular season, the Pirates designated Tellez for assignment for their Tuesday game against the Milwaukee Brewers. With MLB in the final week of the regular season, Tellez will likely finish his 2024 campaign with 421 plate appearances, four shy of the 425 needed to earn an additional $200,000.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington told reporters that the potential $200,000 bonus had no bearing on his decision to cut Tellez from the roster.
“We feel like we gave Rowdy a lot of opportunities this year,” Cherington said Tuesday.
The Pirates signed Tellez to a one-year, $3.2 million contract in the offseason. In 383 plate appearances in 2024, Tellez slashed .243/.299/.392 with 13 homers and 56 RBIs. While his overall numbers are an improvement from last year (.215/.291/.376 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs in 2023), they’re a drop from 2022, when he set career highs in homers (35), RBIs (89) and hits (116).
Tellez struggled to start the 2024 season, hitting just one home run through May. But he improved as the season progressed, culminating on July 5 when he hit a home run and a grand slam en route to a 14-2 drubbing of the New York Mets that left Pittsburgh without any fireworks.
The Pirates were buyers at the trade deadline and entered August chasing a playoff spot. But a 10-game losing streak early in the month effectively ended the Pirates’ playoff hopes. The Pirates were eliminated from playoff contention on September 16. Eight days later, the team DFA’d Tellez.
MLB players are eligible for bonuses under the CBA’s incentive clause in their contracts. Incentives based on statistical performance are prohibited under MLB’s Basic Agreement. This means that predetermined, non-statistical benchmarks allow players to earn extra money. For hitters, the most common incentive is the number of times they come to the plate. Remaining on the active roster for a certain number of days can also earn a bonus, depending on the contract.
The Pirates lost 7-2 to the Brewers on Tuesday, putting them at 73-84 in 2024. In addition to Tellez, the Pirates also designated outfielder Michael A. Taylor for assignment.
(Photo: Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
