Rowdy Tellez making a Mariners decision tough

Teams across MLB will have tough choices to make as they finalize their 26-man rosters for opening day, and the Seattle Mariners seem to have a particularly challenging one on their hands.

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That would be whether or not first baseman Rowdy Tellez joins the team in the Pacific Northwest next Thursday.

The left-handed-hitting slugger has been a bright spot for a Mariners team this spring that struggled to score runs a season ago. In 37 at-bats entering Wednesday, Tellez is hitting .297 with a .928 OPS, two doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs.

Tellez shares the team lead in home runs in Cactus League play, and he’s gotten a longer look than just about anybody who’s vying for a roster spot. Outfielder Dominic Canzone, another left-handed hitter, is the only other player on the roster bubble that has as many at-bats.

“They’re giving (Tellez) a good look to see if they would like to keep him,” Mariners insider Shannon Drayer told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Monday, “and I think that could be the way they are leaning.”

Tellez signed a minor league contract with the Mariners in late February, but his deal includes an opt-out this Sunday, per MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer. So if Tellez doesn’t make the big league roster, there’s a chance he could decide to find a new team.

How Tellez fits on M’s roster

Tellez has been a below average hitter the past two seasons, but he has some good years on the back of his baseball card. He slugged 35 home runs and drove in 89 runs with a 113 OPS+ with Milwaukee in 2022. In seven big league seasons, he’s been just above league average with 101 OPS+.

There are some limitations to his game, though. The 30 year old is strictly a first base and designated hitter option and has been a below average defender throughout his career, posting negative outs above average in every season. He also ranked in the first percentile and had the ninth-lowest overall sprint speed in 2024, per Baseball Savant.

If Tellez does make the roster, that would seemingly free up the M’s to take advantage of Luke Raley’s versatility by giving him more time in the outfield. Raley entered the spring expected to share a platoon role at first base with offseason signing Donovan Solano. It would also give Seattle another option at designated hitter if backup catcher Mitch Garver’s 2024 woes continue in 2025.

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But that could also set Seattle up for another difficult decision between second baseman Ryan Bliss and utilityman Miles Mastrobuoni, both of whom have had good springs. Bliss is hitting .333 with an .888 OPS in 30 at-bats, and Mastrobuoni has been red-hot with .478 average and 1.171 slugging percentage in 23 at-bats. However, neither of those options have a track record of success at the MLB level yet.

There’s also the possibility that outfielder/designated hitter Mitch Haniger, who’s struggled for much of the past two seasons, doesn’t make the opening day roster. He doesn’t seem likely to be released due to his $15.5 million salary this season, but he hasn’t played since March 8 due to a shoulder injury and could end up starting the season on the injured list.

Regardless of how things shake out, Tellez has forced the M’s into making a potentially key decision for their 2025 offense before the regular season starts.

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