The Pittsburgh Pirates decided to release Rowdy Tellez just as he was about to hit a milestone—425 plate appearances that would’ve unlocked a $200,000 bonus. The announcement came just before Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers. With the bonus so close, it raises a few eyebrows – MLB insider Jeff Passan decided to put it in words, sharing his criticism of Pirates owner Bill Nutting after the release of Rowdy Tellez.  

Passan suggested that Nutting’s approach to payroll and his tactics make it clear he’s not really serious about competing for championships. With Tellez on the verge of hitting a performance milestone—and a bonus—this move just adds fuel to the fire. Passan’s comments further highlight a growing sentiment: The Pirates seem more focused on saving pennies than building a winning team. 

Rowdy Tellez’s release by the Pirates slammed

Rowdy Tellez was brought on board by the Pirates with a one-year, $3.2 million deal for the 2024 season, and he was just a few plate appearances away from snagging a $200,000 bonus. But the team decided to release him. Jeff Passan pointed out that while this scenario is part of the game, the bigger issue lies with how Pirates ownership is running the show. With a history of tight budgets and questionable roster decisions, it raises serious concerns about the team’s commitment to competing at a high level. “Why are you always playing for short term with little money? Why do you have an $86 million payroll to open the season when the rest of the sport, at the top, has $300-plus million?” Jeff Passan said on the Pat McAfee Show. 

How do you think this will affect their chances moving forward? Fans want to see a team that’s willing to invest in winning, but right now, they are missing that mark. In response to a question from the host, Passan also remarked, “I think the important point here is not to focus on how the Pirates screwed Rowdy Tellez out of $200,000. It’s to look at the Pirates and look at Bob Nutting and to ask, ‘Why is Rowdy Tellez your first baseman in the first place?” he continued. The Pirates are currently sitting at just over $85 million in payroll, making it the second lowest in all of MLB. With such a tight budget, it’s hard to compete when you’re not willing to invest in the roster.

Why did the Pirates let Rowdy Tellez go? 

It seems like the most likely reason for this move is money—classic baseball economics, right? The Pirates are already out of playoff contention, so there’s really no incentive to keep Tellez on the roster if he’s not contributing significantly – if he was struggling big time, it’d make sense to part ways, but he’s not. But the team might try to spin it as a performance issue, even if fans can see through that. It’s kind of a bummer when teams make decisions that feel more about the budget than the game.  

While Tellez may not be lighting the world on fire, he’s definitely contributing enough to keep him on the roster—especially with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs. It’s interesting to hear GM Ben Cherington say that the impending bonus had “zero factor” in the decision to cut Rowdy Tellez. “We feel like we gave Rowdy lots of opportunity here this year,” he said on Tuesday night, adding, “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.” So, with Tellez gone, can you guess who they brought in his place?

The team brought up Liover Peguero and Josh Palacios, which makes sense, given the numbers, especially with Peguero leading all Pirates minor leaguers in hits, RBIs, and doubles. Those stats are hard to ignore. It seems like the Pirates are shifting their focus to younger talent which could be exciting. Giving fresh talent a shot can help energize the team, even in a season that feels like it’s winding down. What do you think about the Pirates’ strategy here? Share in the comments.