History of Rowdy Tellez in Timeline
"Rowdy" Tellez is an American professional baseball player. He is currently a free agent, having previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers. He is a first baseman and has also represented Mexico in international baseball.
1913: Historical Achievement
In his first seven major league games in 2018, Tellez became the only player since 1913 to hit seven doubles, setting a historic record.
1936: Matching Joe DiMaggio
During his first three career games in 2018, Tellez matched Joe DiMaggio's 1936 record by hitting six doubles, becoming the first American League rookie to do so since DiMaggio.
March 16, 1995: Birth of Rowdy Tellez
Rowdy Tellez was born on March 16, 1995. He is an American professional baseball first baseman who has played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers and has represented the Mexico national baseball team.
2002: Previous Blue Jays Rookie Record
In 2002, Eric Hinske set a rookie record for the Blue Jays by hitting 24 home runs, a feat that Tellez approached in 2019.
2008: Tying Chris Dickerson's Record
In 2018, Tellez tied Chris Dickerson's 2008 record for the most extra-base hits in a player's first three games, with six doubles.
2011: 2011 Rookie Record
In 2011, J.P. Arencibia set a rookie record for the Blue Jays by hitting 23 home runs, a benchmark that Tellez would challenge in 2019.
2013: High School All-American and MLB Draft
In 2013, Tellez was honored as a Baseball America and Rawlings First Team High School All-American. Additionally, he was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 30th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.
2013: High School Baseball Achievements
In 2013, Tellez was named a Baseball America High School All-American, a Rawlings First Team All-American, and a Rawlings/Perfect Game All-Region First Team – California.
2013: Gulf Coast League Blue Jays
Rowdy Tellez was assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays for the 2013 season, where he batted .234 with two home runs and 20 RBIs in 34 games.
2013: Drafted by the Blue Jays
Tellez was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 30th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft. Despite being ranked as the 59th-best player by Baseball America, he was passed over multiple rounds due to his commitment to the University of Southern California. He eventually signed with the Blue Jays for an $850,000 bonus.
2014: 2014 Season
In 2014, Tellez played for the Bluefield Blue Jays and earned a late-season promotion to the Lansing Lugnuts. He played 65 games, batting .305 with six home runs and 43 RBIs.
2015: Midwest League All-Star and More
In 2015, Rowdy Tellez was named a Midwest League All-Star. He also featured in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) All-Prospect Team and was recognized as an AFL Rising Star.
2015: Midwest League Player of the Week
In 2015, Tellez opened the season with Lansing and earned the Midwest League Player of the Week for the week ended May 18. He was named a Midwest League midseason All-Star and led the league in RBIs with 41 before being promoted to the Dunedin Blue Jays.
2016: 2016 Season
In 2016, Tellez was invited to Major League spring training and assigned to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He posted career-high stats, including a .297 batting average, 23 home runs, and 81 RBIs, earning recognition as an Eastern League mid-season All-Star.
2016: Mother's Cancer Diagnosis
In late 2016, Rowdy Tellez's mother, Lori, received a diagnosis of stage IV melanoma. She later battled brain cancer.
November 20, 2017: Added to 40-man Roster
On November 20, 2017, Rowdy Tellez was added to the Toronto Blue Jays' 40-man roster, marking a key step in his professional career.
August 18, 2018: Mother's Passing
Lori Tellez, Rowdy's mother, passed away on August 18, 2018, after her battle with cancer. Her passing occurred just over two weeks before Rowdy made his major league debut.
September 5, 2018: Major League Debut
On September 5, 2018, Rowdy Tellez made his Major League debut with the Blue Jays, hitting a double on the first pitch he saw as a pinch hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays.
2018: Major League Debut
Rowdy Tellez made his major league debut in 2018, marking a significant milestone in his career. Notably, he became the only player since 1913 to hit seven doubles in his first seven major league games.
2018: 2018 Season and Call-up
Tellez began the 2018 season with the Buffalo Bisons and was ranked 29th on MLB's Top 30 Blue Jays prospects list. On September 4, he was called up by the Blue Jays.
2018: 2018 Season Stats
For the 2018 season, Tellez batted .314/.329/.614 with nine doubles, four home runs, and 14 RBIs in 70 at-bats.
2019: Opening Day and Records
In 2019, Tellez made the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster. On April 11, he hit a home run with a 115.2 mph exit velocity, the highest for a Blue Jays home run in the Statcast era. On April 23, he became the fifth-youngest Blue Jay to hit a grand slam.
2019: 2019 Season with Buffalo
In 2019, Tellez played 26 games with the Buffalo Bisons, batting .366/.450/.688 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs in 93 at-bats.
2019: Rookie Home Run Record
In the 2019 season, Tellez became the third rookie in Blue Jays history to hit 21 or more home runs, joining Eric Hinske and J.P. Arencibia. His exit velocity of 115.2 mph was among the top 3% of all major league hitters in 2019.
2020: 2020 Season Highlights
During the shortened 2020 MLB season, Rowdy Tellez had a batting average of .283, an on-base percentage of .346, and a slugging percentage of .540. He also hit eight home runs and 23 RBIs in 113 at-bats, while maintaining error-free defense.
2020: Improved Performance and Notable Home Run
In 2020, Rowdy Tellez showed significant improvement, decreasing his strikeout rate by 12.7% from the previous year. He also drove in runs at a rate of 4.91 AB/RBI, ranking 10th in the American League. On August 20, 2020, he hit a home run with an exit velocity of 117.4 mph, marking the highest for a Toronto Blue Jays player in the Statcast era (since 2015). This impressive hit also ranked as the third-highest exit velocity among all MLB players in 2020, trailing only Pete Alonso (118.4 mph) and Gary Sánchez (117.5 mph).
July 6, 2021: Trade to Milwaukee Brewers
On July 6, 2021, Rowdy Tellez was traded from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers sent pitchers Trevor Richards and Bowden Francis to Toronto in exchange for Tellez.
2021: Clutch Home Runs in the NLDS
Rowdy Tellez hit crucial home runs for the Brewers in the 2021 National League Division Series (NLDS) against the Atlanta Braves. In Game 1, his two-run homer off Charlie Morton proved to be the game-winner as the Brewers took a 1-0 series lead. He repeated his two-run homer feat in Game 4, but the Brewers eventually lost the game and the series to the eventual World Series champions.
2021: 2021 Season with the Brewers
In 2021, after being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, Rowdy Tellez played a significant role in their season. He maintained a .272 batting average, a .333 on-base percentage, and a .481 slugging percentage. He contributed 10 doubles, 7 home runs, and 28 RBIs in 158 at-bats.
May 4, 2022: Record-Setting 8-RBI Game
Rowdy Tellez etched his name in the Milwaukee Brewers' record books on May 4, 2022, by driving in a franchise-record eight runs in a single game. He achieved this feat with a double and two home runs, powering the Brewers to a dominant 18-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
May 8, 2022: NL Player of the Week Award
Following his historic eight-RBI performance, Rowdy Tellez was honored as the National League Player of the Week on May 8, 2022. This accolade recognized his outstanding offensive contributions during that week.
2022: Jewish Major Leaguers List
By 2022, Rowdy Tellez was ranked 3rd in career home run frequency (17.46) among Jewish major leaguers, trailing only Hank Greenberg and Joc Pederson.
2022: Strong Offensive Output and Defensive Prowess
Rowdy Tellez had a powerful offensive season in 2022, hitting 35 home runs (ranking 5th in the National League) and driving in 89 runs. He also showed patience at the plate, drawing 9 intentional walks (4th in the NL). His .998 fielding percentage was the best among NL first basemen, setting a new franchise record for the Brewers.
2022: Officiant at Danny Jansen's Wedding
Rowdy Tellez served as the officiant at the wedding of his former Toronto Blue Jays teammate Danny Jansen in 2022.
January 13, 2023: Contract Extension and Injury-Plagued Season
On January 13, 2023, Rowdy Tellez and the Milwaukee Brewers avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.95 million contract. His season started strong, but injuries limited his playing time and production in the second half. He notably pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a blowout win against the Miami Marlins on September 22, helping the Brewers secure a postseason berth.
December 15, 2023: Signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Rowdy Tellez signed a two-year, $3.2 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 15, 2023. The deal included incentives that could increase its value to $4 million.
2023: Season Highlights and Free Agency
Rowdy Tellez continued to hit for power in 2023, with his 114.8 mph maximum exit velocity ranking in the top 6% of MLB hitters for the fifth consecutive year. He played multiple positions, appearing in 76 games at first base, 20 games as designated hitter, and even pitching in one game. He was non-tendered by the Brewers and became a free agent on November 17, 2023.
2023: Participation in the World Baseball Classic
Rowdy Tellez represented Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic as a designated hitter. He had a strong tournament, batting .280/.333/.440 with one home run and five RBI.
September 24, 2024: Designated for Assignment by the Pirates
Rowdy Tellez's time with the Pittsburgh Pirates came to an end on September 24, 2024, when he was designated for assignment and subsequently released.