Cold blooded Pittsburgh Pirates cut Rowdy Tellez just shy of bonus threshold

In a move that feels as calculated as it is cold, the Pittsburgh Pirates designated first baseman Rowdy Tellez for assignment just six games before the end of the regular season. On paper, it seems like a typical roster shuffle for a team no longer in the playoff hunt. But there’s more to it. Tellez was just four plate appearances short of a $200,000 bonus, and this move ensures that he won’t get it.

Whether or not it was intentional, the timing of the decision has people talking. Sure, Tellez’s season numbers don’t exactly jump off the page - he’s hitting .243 with a .691 OPS, along with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs. Not eye-popping, but certainly not atrocious. He’s still fourth on the team in homers and third in RBIs, respectable enough in a down year for Pittsburgh. But instead of letting him finish out the season and get those last few at-bats, they let him go. The fans aren’t happy.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington, of course, claims the bonus had nothing to do with it. “Zero factor,” he says when asked about the looming payout. Instead, he frames it as a baseball decision, implying that the team had to focus on the future and make tough choices with their limited roster spots. “We feel like we gave Rowdy lots of opportunity here this year,” Cherington said. “To his credit, he fought through some difficult times earlier in the year and fought his way out of it. Had periods of success and periods of frustration. This is just where we got to in the season.”

That sounds reasonable enough, but fans aren’t buying it. After all, Tellez wasn’t playing poorly enough to warrant a sudden departure. His production, while not stellar, was certainly in line with what the Pirates had been trotting out all season. In fact, his slash line puts him just a tick below league average, and on this Pirates team, that’s not saying much.

The real question, then, is why cut him now? Cherington mentions the smaller September roster as a factor. “In the old days of expanded rosters, we probably wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation,” he says, pointing out that only 14 of the 28 spots can go to position players. With that in mind, they needed to fill those spots with players who might contribute beyond this year.

And that’s where Liover Peguero and Josh Palacios come in. Peguero, a highly-touted infielder from Triple-A Indianapolis, has been tearing it up in the minors this year, leading all Pirates minor leaguers in hits, RBIs, and doubles. He’s an easy call-up, part of that “future” Cherington is so focused on. But Palacios? That one’s harder to justify. His brief stint with the Pirates earlier this year wasn’t exactly a smashing success. Hitting .230 with two home runs and seven RBIs over 20 games, he’s on pace for the same kind of modest output Tellez gave them. So why make the switch?

Maybe it’s a numbers game. Maybe it’s about looking ahead. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s about saving $200,000. Whatever the reason, the move leaves a sour taste in the mouths of fans who were hoping to see Rowdy finish the season strong. Instead, they’re left wondering if it’s all just business as usual in Pittsburgh. Cold-blooded and ruthless.