Tellez went hitless for the fourth time in his last six starts and is hitting only .207 overall across 65 plate appearances for the season. To make matters worse, he has only one extra-base hit on the campaign, failing to provide pop in the middle of the Pittsburgh lineup. Already sitting against lefties, it's possible that Tellez also starts to sit against righties due to the solid start to the season for Connor Joe, plus the eventual return of Yasmani Grandal (foot).
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Out again versus lefty
Rotowire
Tellez is absent from the lineup for Friday's game versus the Phillies.
He will yield to Connor Joe at first base with the Phillies sending lefty Cristopher Sanchez to the hill. Tellez is 0-for-8 at the dish against left-handers this season.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Not in Thursday's lineup
Rotowire
Tellez is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game in Philadelphia.
Tellez hasn't always been on the bench against lefties this season, but he will be for this one against southpaw Ranger Suarez. Connor Joe is at first base and in the leadoff spot.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Reaches base four times
Rotowire
Tellez went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored Saturday against the Orioles.
Tellez started his fourth straight game after beginning the season on the bench regularly due to several matchups against lefties. He tallied his second multi-hit game of the campaign, highlighted by an RBI single in the second inning. Tellez has primarily hit sixth in Pittsburgh's lineup and should remain on the large side of a platoon at first base.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Sitting versus lefty
Rotowire
Tellez is out of the lineup for Monday's game versus the Nationals.
The Pirates are facing a fifth straight left-handed starting pitcher to begin the season, and the lefty-hitting Tellez has now been on the bench on three occasions. Connor Joe will start at first base Monday in Tellez's stead.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Crushes three-run homer
Rotowire
Tellez went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run during Sunday's 9-7 victory over the Marlins.
Tellez earned the start against Marlins lefty starter Trevor Rogers and struck out three times prior to crushing a go-ahead three-run homer off right-handed reliever Vladimir Gutierrez in the seventh. It was the first homer of the season for Tellez, who started just two of the four games in Miami due to the Marlins' lefty-heavy rotation. The Pirates are scheduled to face a fifth-straight southpaw Monday in MacKenzie Gore of the Nationals, putting Tellez at risk of sitting for the third time in five games. However, Tellez is slated to be the primary first-basemen against righties, and as the Pirates' schedule normalizes, he will be in line for the bulk of the work.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Sits again versus southpaw
Rotowire
Tellez isn't in the Pirates' lineup for Saturday's game against the Marlins, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Tellez went 0-for-2 on Opening Day and will now miss his second straight start as Pittsburgh faces another left-handed starter in Ryan Weathers. Connor Joe will handle first base and bat in the leadoff spot.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Sitting out versus lefty
Rotowire
Tellez is not in the lineup for Friday's contest in Miami, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Tellez was in there for the opener against left-hander Jesus Luzardo, but he'll sit for this one with the Marlins starting another southpaw in A.J. Puk. Connor Joe will handle first base.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Returns to lineup
Rotowire
Tellez (back) will start at first base and bat sixth for the Pirates in Monday's spring contest versus the Phillies, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Tellez was scratched from the Grapefruit League lineup over the weekend with a minor back issue, but he's fine. The 29-year-old is slated to be the Pirates' primary first baseman against right-handed pitching this season.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Nursing back issue
Rotowire
Tellez was scratched from Saturday's Grapefruit League lineup due to a minor back injury, Greg Brown of SportsNet Pittsburgh reports.
The 29-year-old was pulled from the lineup due to an "abundance of caution," so he could return to game action within the next couple days. Assuming Tellez has no additional issues, he should begin the season as the Pirates' primary first baseman.
Tellez signed a one-year, $3.2 million contract with the Pirates on Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Tellez spent over two seasons with the Brewers, and he will remain in the NL Central to fill the Pirates' opening at first base. The 28-year-old slugger took a major step back in 2023, slashing .215/.291/.376 with 13 home runs -- only one of which came after May 23. Despite his recent struggles, Tellez should begin the season as Pittsburgh's primary first baseman, though he will likely step out of the lineup against lefties in favor of Jared Triolo or Connor Joe.
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Rowdy Tellez: Dropped by Milwaukee
Rotowire
Tellez became a free agent Friday after being non-tendered by the Brewers, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Tellez slashed just .215/.291/.376 over 105 games (351 plate appearances) in 2023 and was left off the roster for the Brewers' NL Wild Card Series matchup against the Diamondbacks. He popped 35 home runs in 2022 and is only 28 years old, but it's a tough market out there for 1B/DH types.
