As spring training comes to an end and MLB teams finalize their Opening Day rosters, a pair of former Pittsburgh Pirates players have found new homes for 2025.
First, the Seattle Mariners announced that they had selected the contract of first baseman Rowdy Tellez to their 40-man roster. Tellez, who signed a minor league deal with Seattle in late February, will now earn $1.5 million in 2025. His contract also includes opt-outs if he is not on the 40-man roster on May 1 or June 1, according to Jack Magruder of MLB.com.
Tellez earned his way onto Seattle's Opening Day roster with an impressive showing at the plate in spring training. In 50 plate appearances across 16 Cactus League games, he slashed .298/.320/.574 with three home runs, four doubles and just nine strikeouts.
In an up-and-down 2024 season with Pittsburgh, Tellez hit .243 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI before the Pirates infamously designated him for assignment during the final week of the regular season when he was just four plate appearances shy of earning a $200,000 bonus. Tellez handled the situation with the utmost class, but you know he's heading into the 2025 campaign with a chip on his shoulder. The Pirates visit Seattle at the beginning of July, which shall henceforth be known as Rowdy Tellez revenge season.
Former Pirates reliever Jalen Beeks signs with Diamondbacks as spring training ends
Left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks, a trade deadline pickup for the Pirates in 2024, will also join his fifth MLB team in six seasons. According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, Beeks is in agreement with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a one-year, $1.25 million contract for 2025 after opting out of his minor-league contract with the Houston Astros over the weekend.
Beeks pitched in 26 games for the Pirates last season after a trade from the Colorado Rockies. He pitched to a 3.92 ERA, surrendered nine earned runs, struck out 17 and walked nine across 20 2/3 innings of relief work in Pittsburgh before becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
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