Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez woke up on Tuesday four plate appearances short of earning a $200,000 performance bonus.
He won’t get there. The Pirates released Tellez and outfielder Michael A. Taylor Tuesday afternoon. They called up prospects Liover Peguero and outfielder Joshua Palacios in corresponding moves.
Tellez played this season on a one-year, $3.2 million contract. He had a clause that triggered a $200,000 bonus if he made 425 plate appearances. He finishes the season with 421, an average game’s worth of PAs from a six-figure payday.
The Pirates made the move with six games remaining in their season. They were eliminated from the postseason last week and are on track for a last-place finish in the NL Central. The decision begs the question: Did the Pirates cut Tellez to avoid paying him $200,000?
Pirates brass explains
Per general manager Ben Cherington, the decision “had nothing to do with where the plate appearances were lining up.”
“Zero factor in the decision,” Cherington said,” per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Aware of it, certainly. I’m aware of the contracts that all players have. No factor at all, zero.”
Cherington was also asked if he was concerned about the optics of the decision suggesting that the Pirates under owner Bob Nutting might hesitant to spend.
“And, no, I’m not concerned,” Cherington continued. “If you’re asking about optics going forward and how it affects business and things like that, no. Contracts are negotiated in good faith. Then they live out.”
Cherington also said that he’s not worried that the decision will have a negative impact on the clubhouse.
“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.”
Cherington and manager Derek Shelton contend that the decision was made to gain more experience for Peguero and Palacios.
“It came down to when the minor league season ended and these guys getting here,” Shelton said. “That’s what factored into the decision the most.”
Tellez’s MLB future is unclear. In 131 games this season, he slashed .243/.299/.392 with 13 home runs, 56 RBI and one stolen base. He’s 29 years old and a seven-season MLB veteran. His time with the Pirates is done.
If his career is done, he’ll retire having earned roughly $12.5 million in salary. He didn’t address his release in public on Tuesday.
