Texas Rangers to Sign Struggling Mariners Slugger to Minor League Deal

The Texas Rangers are signing a former Seattle Mariners slugger in the hopes that he can reclaim some of the power he’s lost.

Per Will Sammon at The Athletic (subscription required), the Rangers are signing Rowdy Tellez to a minor league deal. The Rangers have not officially announced the signing.

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The Mariners designated Tellez for assignment on June 20 and released him after he cleared waivers. He can play first base and serve as a designated hitter.

He joined the Mariners in the offseason, and he was unable to do much of anything offensively, as he slashed 208/.249/.434 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI.

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By signing him to a minor league deal, the Rangers aren’t taking up space on the Major League 40-man roster, where they currently have a spot open. He will likely join the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock once the deal is official.

Tellez has never hit much for average, with a career slash of .232/.299/.436 in 728 games. But he’s had his moments as a power hitter.

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With Milwaukee in 2022 he slammed a career-high 35 home runs and drove in a career-high 89 RBI. He batted .219 and struck out 121 times. He also hit 21 home runs in his breakthrough season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019.

The Rangers are still searching for answers offensively. First baseman Jake Burger has hit better since a May demotion to Round Rock, but his slash entering Friday’s action was .217/.249/.396 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI.

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Joc Pederson, the left-handed hitter Texas envisioned as their everyday designated hitter, has been on the injured list for more than a month with a right hand fracture. He has been cleared to begin range of motion exercises. But, before the injury he was having the worst season of his career and batting under .200.

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