Brewers trade for 1B Rowdy Tellez from Blue Jays

[owbc]

I hope this means Hiura is headed out of Milwaukee shortly. He needs reps on a last place team and we need to win the division.

[narwhalattack]

Really was hoping for a legitimate answer for first base not more garbage. Stearns just doesn’t value the position at all.

 

Who would you suggest that wouldn't require us to blow up the farm or take on an albatross contract?

[phnxcrew]

Would be nice to trade for a real first baseman and stop hoping softball league guys will become stars for us. I feel like cron wouldn’t have cost much more than this….

[umphrey]

Tellez immediately is the best 1B on the roster. I’d take him over Vogelbach, and he has team control. I was hoping for an impact bat, but Tellez is next best thing.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Really was hoping for a legitimate answer for first base not more garbage. Stearns just doesn’t value the position at all.

 

Not real sure Tellez has enough of a track record yet for anyone to classify him as "garbage". We're talking about a guy who hit 21 HRs as a 24-year-old in 2019, then followed that up with a .886 OPS in last year's abbreviated season. In your mind, what would be a "legitimate" answer at 1B?

[Jopal78]

It seems like a classic Brewer narrative (like in 2014 ) where they build up their hitting lineup, only to collapse because their short in the bullpen and the starters hit their innings limits.

[narwhalattack]

It seems like a classic Brewer narrative (like in 2014 ) where they build up their hitting lineup, only to collapse because their short in the bullpen and the starters hit their innings limits.

 

I have to imagine that Stearns would be looking for bullpen arms next. I'd like to imagine that Stearns isn't dumb enough to think that this current bullpen will hold up and get through to the end of the season in one piece.

[Eye Black]

Had to chuckle at the opening line from a Jays Journal article published yesterday titled, Blue Jays: Could Rowdy Tellez be on the trade block this summer?:

 

Garnering fan favourite status similar to former Blue Jays infielder Justin Smoak, Tellez burst onto the big league scene three years ago as a September call-up and produced fantastic results in a short sample. Through 23 games, the hard-hitting lefty batter slashed .314/.329/.614 with nine doubles, four home runs, and 14 RBI through 70 at-bats. Since his debut back in late 2018, Tellez has accumulated a career .241/.301/.458 slash line with 37 home runs, 99 RBI, and a .759 OPS.

 

Should be another fun personality in the clubhouse.

[umphrey]

He was also probably a roster squeeze to some extent due to Vlad at 1B and other options at DH

[Jopal78]

He was also probably a roster squeeze to some extent due to Vlad at 1B and other options at DH

 

No, he had a .610 OPS, outside of Milwaukee that is usually a ticket out of the lineup.

[brewers888]

Really was hoping for a legitimate answer for first base not more garbage. Stearns just doesn’t value the position at all.

 

Not real sure Tellez has enough of a track record yet for anyone to classify him as "garbage". We're talking about a guy who hit 21 HRs as a 24-year-old in 2019, then followed that up with a .886 OPS in last year's abbreviated season. In your mind, what would be a "legitimate" answer at 1B?

 

This guy is another Vogelbach who at least we picked up on waivers. Cron for one would have been a better target and I think we need a right handed bat more than yet another lefty.

 

Are we really so flush with pitching to give away two more arms for a replacement level first baseman.

[brooks_quichenick]

 

"So just to get this straight…

 

The @Brewers turned Feyereisen and Rasmussen into 2 guys age 26 & younger that had wRC+ of 124 and 133 in 2020 but sluggish starts to 2021."

 

I dig it

[Eye Black]

More from Ken Rosenthal: Expect Brewers to remain active. Willingness to trade Richards, who struck out 25 but also walked 9 and allowed 3 HRs in 19 2/3 IP with MIL, indicates team will seek additional bullpen help at deadline. Previously moved Feyereisen/Rasmussen to get Adames/Richards.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Really was hoping for a legitimate answer for first base not more garbage. Stearns just doesn’t value the position at all.

 

Not real sure Tellez has enough of a track record yet for anyone to classify him as "garbage". We're talking about a guy who hit 21 HRs as a 24-year-old in 2019, then followed that up with a .886 OPS in last year's abbreviated season. In your mind, what would be a "legitimate" answer at 1B?

 

This guy is another Vogelbach who at least we picked up on waivers. Cron for one would have been a better target and I think we need a right handed bat more than yet another lefty.

 

Are we really so flush with pitching to give away two more arms for a replacement level first baseman.

 

If the Brewers wanted Cron, they could have just signed him to a cheap FA deal this offseason. They obviously didn't, so I can't imagine there is a ton of interest there now.

 

The Brewers LOVE lefty power at the corners. This move is 100% in the team's wheelhouse.

 

As for your pitching statement, that's a good question. I think Richards was basically a throw-in in the Adames deal, and while he's pitched well for the Brewers, he really hasn't moved up the leverage ladder all that much. That makes me think that guys like Sanchez, Cousins and Strickland have passed him up in the pecking order. Francis was pitching well at AAA, but he's nothing special. Basically another Bettinger/Derby/insert name of random AAAA pitcher.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Ron Robinson's Beard

[KeithStone53151]

i am mildly concerned about thinning out the bullpen too much. I'm not sure how much Tellez adds. He's not hitting well where he's at, and the "hitting into bad luck" thing is probably considerably attributable to hitting into the shift too much and being reeeeeeeeally slow.

 

A couple things I find interesting in his statcast data...he hits offspeed very well. In fact, he seems to do more damage against offspeed than fastballs. Also, how does a guy with a 13.2% barrel percentage have a 209 average? Even considering the shift and he's slow, that's still pretty darn unlucky.

 

I'll also generally add, our lineup is better suited to hit RHP vs LHP. So it seems weird to target a platoon LHB in a trade.

[Jopal78]

The front office has had enough success to get the benefit of the doubt. Tellez is young with lots of team control and has hit for power in the major leagues. It kind of leaves Hiura without a clear role on the team (which is probably warranted by his play) but is a little strange given his pedigree.

 

It does appear the cost was pretty high as Richards was a good cost-controlled swingman type pitcher, and based on his minor league stats Francis should be able to pitch effectively in the major leagues when he's deemed ready.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Jopal78!

[bill hAll Star]

i am mildly concerned about thinning out the bullpen too much. I'm not sure how much Tellez adds. He's not hitting well where he's at, and the "hitting into bad luck" thing is probably considerably attributable to hitting into the shift too much and being reeeeeeeeally slow.

 

A couple things I find interesting in his statcast data...he hits offspeed very well. In fact, he seems to do more damage against offspeed than fastballs. Also, how does a guy with a 13.2% barrel percentage have a 209 average? Even considering the shift and he's slow, that's still pretty darn unlucky.

 

I'll also generally add, our lineup is better suited to hit RHP vs LHP. So it seems weird to target a platoon LHB in a trade.

 

One quick surprise looking up Rowdy - he has even splits. Maybe he's seen as a longer-term piece as well.

 

But yes, I assumed either a massive upgrade 1B and just forget about Hiura/Vogelbach OR a RH bat to pair with Dan. Not this...but I trust Stearns.

[Austin Tatious]

More from Ken Rosenthal: Expect Brewers to remain active. Willingness to trade Richards, who struck out 25 but also walked 9 and allowed 3 HRs in 19 2/3 IP with MIL, indicates team will seek additional bullpen help at deadline. Previously moved Feyereisen/Rasmussen to get Adames/Richards.

 

I have always felt that Rosenthal talks to Stearns himself. He has broken info before, and I think he has a direct line. When he says anything about possibilities, I bet he is getting it straight from the horse's mouth.

[PeaveyFury]

but sluggish starts to 2021.

 

Interesting point, for sure. No clue what Tellez's issues have been thus far in 2021, but if he's the player he's shown in the past, he's a legit 1B. No idea why his slugging is so bad this year.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm not sure how much Tellez adds. He's not hitting well where he's at ...

 

Tellez currently has a 1.038 OPS in 55 plate appearances with Toronto's AAA affiliate. So he is, in fact, hitting well where he's at. He was, however, not hitting well in his earlier time with Toronto.

[Lathund]

Can't say I've seen enough of Tellez to, uh, tell anything about this trade really. Mashed in the minors with some real power, I'm fine with taking a shot on a mid 20s guy with 3-4 years (Depending on how long he has been/will be in the minors this year) of service time left with that kind of profile. Struggled so far this year, but raked in AAA and statcast data suggests he has been hitting the ball well.

 

I don't fully understand it, but I also know this front office does things for a reason, and they see something in all that data we don't have access to as fans. While it won't always work out, since we are dealing with humans and don't have a time machine, I trust the idea behind it and I'm not scared of acquiring players with recent small-sample struggles. The last trade for a struggling AL East hitter turned out rather well after all.

 

A bit surprised that Richards was let go this fast, he was doing rather well. At the same time, not very impressive peripherals overall and probably not overall more than an average-ish middle reliever. As for Francis I guess they felt they had a bunch of players in his mould already; the strike throwing starters with mediocre stuff who have a high likelyhood of making the majors but a low likelyhood of ever being more than #4-5 starters at best and who probably won't have their stuff play up out of the 'pen either.

 

In general though I like the early trades, not sticking to the last week before the deadline if they see something they like. Now what exactly they like, and if it'll work out, is another matter. But I'll happilly wait and see. The guy has an option remaining so no real short-term downside to it.

[Madhawk23]

I guess I don't understand the angst over this deal? Has Tellez struggled so far this year? Sure. But, so did Adames before we made that deal. I'm not saying this will work out nearly as well as the Adames deal has thus far, but Tellez is at least a guy that has had previous success in prior seasons - so it feels like it's worth taking a chance on him figuring things out again in Milwaukee.

 

Also, Richards become absolutely expendable with the emergence of Sanchez and Cousins. We also have the potential to possibly get Topa back in the next month or so here, and I'm sure DS will go out and trade for another reliever before the deadline.

 

Francis seems like a guy who's ceiling is a #5 starter. Sucks to see the pitching depth in the system depleted again, but I think we are OK at that spot with Ashby and Small hopefully ready to contribute in the coming years.

 

I'm definitely OK with this deal. Now, let's just hope that a change in scenery is just what the doctor ordered for Rowdy.

[Eye Black]

I’m not sure if Tellez will prove the long term 1B answer in Milwaukee, but I am certain I’d rather give him a shot (especially knowing he has 3.5 remaining years of control) than 31-year old free agent to be C.J. Cron.

[KeithStone53151]

I'm not sure how much Tellez adds. He's not hitting well where he's at ...

 

Tellez currently has a 1.038 OPS in 55 plate appearances with Toronto's AAA affiliate. So he is, in fact, hitting well where he's at. He was, however, not hitting well in his earlier time with Toronto.

 

Fair enough, I had not realized he was sent to the minors. Makes sense as 1b is beyond locked up at this point and they can rotate guys producing at the DH spot.

[damuelle]

It seems like a classic Brewer narrative (like in 2014 ) where they build up their hitting lineup, only to collapse because their short in the bullpen and the starters hit their innings limits.

 

That’s not quite how I remember 2014, when we scored 4.32 runs per game through July 31st, then scored 3.38 runs the final two months of the year. We had a gaping need to upgrade first base, were 20+ games ahead of the Rockies and didn’t trade for Justin Morneau.

 

So I’m glad to see we’re not sitting on our hands with mediocrity at first base this time around. In Stearns and Counsell we trust!

 

That said, maybe our bullpen also fell apart in 2014. It was an abysmal stretch. But our overall pitching didn’t change: 4.06 runs yielded per game through July and for full season.