Rowdy

Tellez

Tellez entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Jake Burger after Adolis Garcia had singled to start the 10th inning. He then crushed a 2-2 curveball from Zak Kent for a 362-foot (94.2 mph EV) three-run blast that gave the Rangers an 8-5 advantage. The 30-year-old slugger finishes the 2025 season hitting .228/.276/.443 with 17 homers, 49 RBI and one stolen base in 312 plate appearances between the Mariners and Rangers.

Tellez’ home run is his 16th of the season. He hit a pinch-hit two-run game-tying home run in the 10th inning. Tellez’ home run was his first since August 24 against the Guardians, breaking a span of 17 games without a home run. He’s hitting .231 with a .721 OPS and 44 RBI this year.

Tellez’ home run was his 15th this year. The 30-year-old first baseman started the scoring with a two-run shot off Gavin Williams in the fourth inning. Tellez is hitting just .227, but has a .459 slugging percentage in 87 games this year. He’ll continue to see at-bats against right-handed pitching while Jake Burger is out with a wrist injury.

Tellez’ home run was his 14th of the year. He hit a solo shot off Slade Cecconi in the fourth inning. Tellez is hitting .225 with a .715 OPS and 38 RBI on the season. He figures to continue to see at-bats against right-handed pitching at first base while Jake Burger (wrist) is on the injured list.

The encouraging development here is that Burger hasn’t been placed on the injured list heading into a four-game set against Kansas City. The 29-year-old power hitter exited Sunday’s game with left wrist discomfort and is set to undergo an MRI to determine whether he’s dealing with any structural damage. It’ll be Rowdy Tellez filling in at the cold corner in his absence.

Burger sat in favor of Rowdy Tellez the last three days before getting the nod against Zac Gallen today. His homer came off Gallen, and he later added a single against fellow righty John Curtiss. We’ll have to wait and see whether this keeps him in the lineup against the Jays’ Chris Bassitt on Friday. Burger might still be of interest in mixed leagues if he resumes playing regularly.

The Rangers were facing a 6-1 deficit heading to the sixth inning, but they kept fighting and scratched out four runs in the sixth to make it a 6-5 ballgame. That’s how it stayed until the ninth where Tellez clobbered a 413-foot leadoff homer off of Andrew Hoffmann that tied the game. That was his only hit in four at-bats on the night, but played a critical role in the comeback victory. For the season, the 30-year-old slugger is now hitting .224/.262/.452 with 13 homers and 35 RBI on the season.

Rowdy Tellez is batting .303/.333/.485 in 15 games since joining the Rangers, and until he cools off, it looks like Burger is going to be stuck on the short side of a platoon role. He can’t really complain, either, given that he’s hit .220/.248/.376 with a 61/5 K/BB in 226 plate appearances against righties this season.

The Rangers finally snapped a scoreless tie in the eighth inning as they loaded the bases with one out on a double and a pair of walks. Tellez then battled Devin Williams to a full count before blooping a two-run single into center that proved to be the difference. The 30-year-old slugger finished the night 1-for-4 and is now hitting .222/.261/.443 with 12 homers, 34 RBI and one stolen base on the season.

Burger went 0-for-8 in two games for Frisco. Had he hit right away on the rehab assignment, maybe he’d have been activated during the current series against the Yankees. As is, the Rangers will go a little longer with Rowdy Tellez, who has an .883 OPS in 12 games for his new club.