When the Coronavirus pandemic forced a break in training camp in early July, the Blue Jays announced that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was moving across the infield from third base to first, which meant that Rowdy would have to find most of his playing time at DH.
The Blue Jays made some changes to their infield in 2020, letting Justin Smoak leave and signing Travis Shaw, which seemed to make Rowdy the primary first baseman.
He had an OPS+ of 140 while he was in the lineup, hitting .283 with 8 home runs, 23 RBIs, and 35 games played. But on September 8th, he took the field for the final time in the regular season after suffering a right knee complaint.
He returned for the Wild Card Series, but he only played in one at-bat, getting a hit in a pinch.
As the Jays had six players to fill five positions going into 2021, the signing of George Springer as a free agent after the season once again cast doubt on Tellez’s ability to play regularly.
However, because Springer missed the majority of the first three months with a series of injuries, Tellez was given the opportunity to play occasionally.
He, though, got off to a bad start, going 0 for 21 before receiving his first hit. He never truly bounced back, finishing April at .183 with just one home run and three RBIs, and only slightly improving in May.
Springer was the one who was sent to AAA to clear space on the roster since, by the time he was finally fit to play in late June, he was still hitting just .209 with 4 home runs and 8 RBIs.
Is Rowdy Tellez His Real Name?
Rowdy Tellez was born Ryan John Tellez. “Rowdy” is his nickname.