From 2012 through 2021, a span of 10 years, the Milwaukee Brewers had 10 different opening day starters at first base:
- 2012- Mat Gamel
- 2013- Alex Gonzalez
- 2014- Lyle Overbay
- 2015- Adam Lind
- 2016- Chris Carter
- 2017- Eric Thames
- 2018- Ryan Braun
- 2019- Jesus Aguilar
- 2020- Justin Smoak
- 2021- Keston Hiura
Halfway through the 2021 season, it was clear that Hiura and Daniel Vogelbach were not the answer for the team at first base. As a result, Milwaukee traded Trevor Richards and Bowden Francis to the Toronto Blue Jays for Rowdy Tellez.
Rowdy Tellez Was the First Milwaukee Brewers First Baseman to Start Consecutive Opening Days Since Prince Fielder
At the time of the 2021 trade, Tellez was hitting .209/.272/.338 with four home runs and eight RBI for the Blue Jays. After arriving in Milwaukee, though, he hit .272/.333/.481 with seven home runs and 28 RBI.
The following spring he earned the Opening Day starting gig at first base. In 2022, Tellez saw his averages dip to their usual lows, hitting just .219/.306/.461. However, he also hit 35 home runs and drove in 89 runs.
In 2023, he became the first Brewers first baseman to start consecutive Opening Days since Prince Fielder. However, he was not nearly as productive at the plate. In 105 games (down from the 153 he played in 2022), Tellez hit .215/.291/.376 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI.
Following that season, Milwaukee chose to let him leave in free agency.
Former Milwaukee Brewers First Baseman Rowdy Tellez Has Gone from the Pittsburgh Pirates to Seattle Mariners
Tellez spent the 2024 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he signed in free agency. In 131 games last year, he hit .243/.299/.392 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI. However, in late September, Pittsburgh released him.
In February, Tellez signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners with an invitation to Spring Training. While playing 16 games this spring, he hit .298/.320/.574 with three home runs and five RBI.
Today, the Mariners announced that he had made their Major League roster.
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | WAR | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | rOBA | Rbat+ | TB | GIDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | Pos | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 23 | TOR | AL | 0.5 | 23 | 73 | 70 | 10 | 22 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21 | .314 | .329 | .614 | .943 | 153 | .399 | 156 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3/HD | |
| 2019 | 24 | TOR | AL | 0.1 | 111 | 409 | 370 | 49 | 84 | 19 | 0 | 21 | 54 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 116 | .227 | .293 | .449 | .742 | 95 | .310 | 90 | 166 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3DH | |
| 2020 | 25 | TOR | AL | 0.6 | 35 | 127 | 113 | 20 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 20 | .283 | .346 | .540 | .886 | 139 | .378 | 141 | 61 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3D/H | |
| 2021 | 26 | 2TM | 2LG | -0.4 | 106 | 325 | 297 | 34 | 72 | 14 | 2 | 11 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 65 | .242 | .305 | .414 | .719 | 93 | .311 | 89 | 123 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3HD | |
| 2021 | 26 | TOR | AL | -0.7 | 50 | 151 | 139 | 12 | 29 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 33 | .209 | .272 | .338 | .610 | 64 | .271 | 61 | 47 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | D3H | |
| 2021 | 26 | MIL | NL | 0.4 | 56 | 174 | 158 | 22 | 43 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 32 | .272 | .333 | .481 | .814 | 118 | .347 | 114 | 76 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3H | |
| 2022 | 27 | MIL | NL | 0.8 | 153 | 599 | 529 | 67 | 116 | 23 | 0 | 35 | 89 | 2 | 1 | 62 | 121 | .219 | .306 | .461 | .767 | 113 | .332 | 111 | 244 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 9 | *3H/D | |
| 2023 | 28 | MIL | NL | -0.7 | 105 | 351 | 311 | 26 | 67 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 86 | .215 | .291 | .376 | .667 | 81 | .294 | 78 | 117 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3DH/1 | |
| 2024 | 29 | PIT | NL | -0.3 | 131 | 421 | 383 | 38 | 93 | 18 | 0 | 13 | 56 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 89 | .243 | .299 | .392 | .691 | 91 | .305 | 90 | 150 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | *3H/1 | |
| 7 Yrs | 0.6 | 664 | 2305 | 2073 | 244 | 486 | 97 | 3 | 105 | 319 | 4 | 3 | 193 | 518 | .234 | .303 | .436 | .739 | 101 | .319 | 98 | 904 | 59 | 19 | 0 | 20 | 19 | 3DH/1 | ||||
| 162 Game Avg | 0.1 | 162 | 562 | 506 | 60 | 119 | 24 | 1 | 26 | 78 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 126 | .234 | .303 | .436 | .739 | 101 | .319 | 98 | 221 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | |||||
| TOR (4 Yrs) | 0.5 | 219 | 760 | 692 | 91 | 167 | 37 | 1 | 37 | 99 | 1 | 2 | 51 | 190 | .241 | .301 | .458 | .759 | 102 | .322 | 99 | 317 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 3DH | ||||
| MIL (3 Yrs) | 0.5 | 314 | 1124 | 998 | 115 | 226 | 42 | 2 | 55 | 164 | 2 | 1 | 111 | 239 | .226 | .305 | .438 | .743 | 104 | .322 | 101 | 437 | 34 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 3HD/1 | ||||
| PIT (1 Yr) | -0.3 | 131 | 421 | 383 | 38 | 93 | 18 | 0 | 13 | 56 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 89 | .243 | .299 | .392 | .691 | 91 | .305 | 90 | 150 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | *3H/1 | ||||
| NL (4 Yrs) | 0.1 | 445 | 1545 | 1381 | 153 | 319 | 60 | 2 | 68 | 220 | 3 | 1 | 142 | 328 | .231 | .304 | .425 | .729 | 100 | .318 | 98 | 587 | 46 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 3HD/1 | ||||
| AL (4 Yrs) | 0.5 | 219 | 760 | 692 | 91 | 167 | 37 | 1 | 37 | 99 | 1 | 2 | 51 | 190 | .241 | .301 | .458 | .759 | 102 | .322 | 99 | 317 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 3DH | ||||
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