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The Pirates announced that they have designated first baseman Rowdy Tellez and outfielder Michael A. Taylor for assignment. Those two active roster spots will go to infielder Liover Peguero and outfielder Joshua Palacios, who have both been recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported about Tellez on X shortly before the official announcement. The club’s 40-man roster count drops to 38.
Both Tellez and Taylor were signed to modest one-year deals in the winter as the Bucs tried to supplement their roster. Tellez got a $3.2M guarantee, while Taylor got $4M. Unfortunately, neither signing worked out well for the Bucs, as both players have struggled this year.
With just a handful of games left in the season and the club well out of contention, the Pirates have bumped them off and will presumably give more playing time to younger guys who could perhaps factor into next year’s club.
Tellez, 29, was non-tendered by the Brewers after a poor 2023 season. He hit 13 home runs and slashed .215/.291/.376 for a 78 wRC+. But since he had hit 35 home runs in 2022 with a .219/.306/.461 line and 110 wRC+, it wasn’t unreasonable for the Bucs to expect a bounceback.
In the end, Tellez had an up-and-down season in 2024 that reflected his inconsistent results in prior years. His Pittsburgh tenure started terribly, as he hit .177/.239/.223 through the end of May. He then got scorching hot for three months, hitting .310/.346/.533 from June to August. But he’s gone cold again lately with a .116/.255/.209 performance in September.
Put together, Tellez has a .243/.299/.392 line and 89 wRC+ on the year. He isn’t considered a strong defender and isn’t a burner on the basepaths, so he doesn’t offer much value if he’s not producing with the bat. Both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference consider him to have been below replacement level this year. The Bucs will likely spread the first base playing time around to a few different guys for their remaining games, but the position should be a target area for them to upgrade this winter.
It’s also possible there’s a financial motivation for moving on from Tellez. Per Ethan Hullihen on X, Tellez would have unlocked a $200K bonus by getting to 425 plate appearances and is currently at 421.
Taylor has always been an excellent defender in center field but with inconsistent offensive results. Last year was perhaps his best showing at the plate, as he hit 21 homers for the Twins, but he still struck out 33.5 percent of the time. His offense cratered this year, as he struck out 35 percent of the time and slashed .193/.253/.290 for a wRC+ of 50. Among players with at least 300 plate appearances this year, only Brandon Drury and Eddie Rosario have a lower wRC+ mark. Oneil Cruz, who struggled defensively at shortstop, has been moved to center field lately.
The Bucs will put both players on waivers in the coming days, but they are sure to go unclaimed. They won’t be postseason-eligible with any claiming team, and their recent performance won’t give them any appeal for the remaining games of the regular season. Each player has enough service time to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency, so they will likely be going into offseason mode a few days ahead of schedule.
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Chicago Cubs eyeing familiar closer with 107 career saves
The Chicago Cubs are going to be buyers at this year’s trade deadline, which is July 31. While third base is an obvious area of need, they also reportedly are looking at strengthening their bullpen. One player they have had an eye on, both now and in the past, is Kyle Finnegan. Recent reports have re-tied Kyle Finnegan to the Chicago Cubs Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic recently reported that Kyle Finnegan is one player that the Cubs have their eye on. Chicago has been tied to him in the past, as they expressed interest in him over the off-season. Additionally, before the emergence of Daniel Palencia, they were urged to trade for him earlier in the season. How would Kyle Finnegan fit into the Cubs bullpen? Throughout his Nationals career, Finnegan, a right-handed closer, has racked up 107 saves since 2021 and has a career 3.68 ERA. This year, his results have not been as good as previous seasons, evidenced by a 4.62 ERA, however he does have 19 saves and his experience in high-leverage situations would be beneficial in a post season match up. Finnegan is slated to become a free agent at the end of the season, meaning a trade to acquire him likely wouldn’t require a significant prospect haul. His addition wouldn’t necessarily push Daniel Palencia out of the closer role, but instead, he could slot into a setup role alongside Ryan Pressly. For manager Craig Counsell, it would simply add another dependable arm to an already strong bullpen, providing more flexibility in high-leverage situations. As the deadline draws closer, Finnegan could emerge as a realistic and impactful target to bolster the late-inning mix.
WNBA All-Star Game ratings paint a troubling picture
WNBA players sent a message to the league with T-shirts they wore ahead of the All-Star Game on Saturday night, but the ratings for the game did not exactly strengthen their stance. Prior to the All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., Caitlin Clark and other players warmed up in shirts that said “Pay us what you owe us” across the front. The message had to do with the current state of collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the WNBA and WNBA Player’s Association. Unfortunately for the players, the television ratings for the game were not very good. Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported on Tuesday that the WNBA All-Star Game drew 2.19 million viewers on ABC, which was down roughly 36% from a year ago. Last year’s game featured the WNBA All-Stars against the Team USA squad that was preparing to compete in the Summer Olympics in Paris. The dip in ratings is likely another example of the type of impact Clark has had on the WNBA. Although she was a team captain for this year’s All-Star Game, Clark did not play due to a groin injury. Clark played in last year’s game for the All-Star side, as she did not make the Team USA Olympic roster. Many fans were outraged that she was snubbed from the Olympic team, which added an element of intrigue to the All-Star Game. There is no way of knowing for certain whether more fans would have watched the All-Star Game on Saturday night had Clark played. It is a safe guess, however, especially when you look at some recent trends for the league.
Tyrann Mathieu retirement highlights compelling Hall of Fame case
One question remains after New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement. How long until Canton calls? On Tuesday, the 12-year NFL veteran revealed he was retiring, effective immediately, ending the New Orleans native's legendary football career. In a statement published to social media, the three-time first-team All-Pro wrote, "As I hang up my cleats, I'm filled with gratitude as I close this chapter of my life and officially retire from the game that's shaped me in every way. "From my first snap in college to my final play in the NFL, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing." He's a surefire first-ballot Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame honoree, breaking out while at LSU (2010-11). During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he forced 11 fumbles with eight recoveries, four interceptions and four total touchdowns while finishing fifth in Heisman voting in 2011. Mathieu was dismissed from the team in 2012 after failing multiple drug tests and then was arrested on marijuana charges, but he didn't allow that to define his career. Instead, he carved out what could be considered a Pro Football Hall of Fame resume, too. Mathieu ends his professional career with 838 tackles, 100 passes defended and 36 interceptions. In addition to being named first-team All-Pro three times, he received three Pro Bowl honors and was a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010 Team. Mathieu also won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2020. Per Mathieu's Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame Monitor score (65.2), he has a below-average case for enshrinement, with the average Hall of Fame defensive back scoring a 96.93. But players have received a gold jacket with worse scores in the PFR metric, including John Lynch, Eric Allen and Dick LeBeau. While he might have to wait past his first ballot to make it into the Hall of Fame, it would be a shame if Mathieu didn't one day receive his flowers. It certainly helps his case that in addition to being one of the greatest safeties of his generation, Mathieu was, by all accounts, just as outstanding off the field. NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill and Arizona Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard, who covered Mathieu when he played for the Cardinals, were among the media members to share fond stories about Mathieu. "One of those guys who really respected the job we do and would take the time to explain the game," Underhill shared. "He an all-world talent and the most accessible, genuine, introspective superstar I've ever met," Odegard wrote. It could take longer than five years, but it should surprise no one if one day Mathieu receives Hall of Fame recognition. He is the Honey Badger, after all. He takes what he wants.
Kraken announce lucrative new deal for veteran winger
Earlier Tuesday, the dates for the seven remaining arbitration-eligible players were revealed. However, one player who won’t need that hearing after all is Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko. The Kraken announced that they’ve reached an agreement on a three-year contract that will pay $4.525M per season after being set to exchange arbitration figures on Wednesday. GM Jason Botterill released the following statement: "Getting a contract done with Kaapo was a top priority this summer. We knew quickly he’d be a big part of our team moving forward. He’s got size, skill and tremendous playmaking ability, and isn’t afraid of going to the net. He fit in immediately with our group, and we’re thrilled to have him under contract." The 24-year-old was the second overall selection back in 2019 by the Rangers and had seemingly been on thin ice in New York for a couple of years. The two sides agreed on a one-year, $2.4M contract last offseason, well before qualifying offers were due to be submitted, avoiding any risk of the Rangers non-tendering him to avoid arbitration rights. The deal seemingly represented a last-chance opportunity for Kakko, and it’s fair to say he didn’t make the most of it. He managed just four goals and 10 assists in 30 games with New York and in December, the Rangers pulled the trigger on a trade, sending him to Seattle for defenseman Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round selection. The change of scenery seemed to give Kakko a boost. He averaged just under a point per game over his first month with the Kraken, and overall, he picked up 10 goals and 20 assists in 49 outings. Combining his stats with New York, Kakko’s 44 points represented a career high, giving him some leverage heading into contract talks this summer. Considering that Kakko’s career numbers of 71 goals and 90 assists in 379 games is rather pedestrian, Jason Botterill is clearly banking on Kakko’s second-half production being a sign of things to come. He got the bigger role he was hoping for following the swap, logging a little over 17 minutes a night of playing time after averaging just over 13 minutes a night prior to the swap. It’s clear that based on this deal, the Kraken feel that Kakko can be a legitimate top-six forward for them moving forward. Beyond his entry-level contract, this is the longest agreement that Kakko has signed. It’s a pact that buys out his first two UFA-eligible seasons, making those eligible for potential trade protection. It will also allow Kakko to potentially reach the open market at 27 in 2028, putting him in a position to possibly secure a long-term, big-money agreement if he’s able to maintain and build off his strong first half-season with Seattle. With the signing, the Kraken now have a little under $6.5M in cap space, per PuckPedia. They still have one key restricted free agent to sign in defenseman Ryker Evans. He’s not arbitration-eligible but Botterill should have enough flexibility to sign him to a long-term agreement if the sides can work one out. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report the signing.
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