In December of 2023, Ethan Hullihen—a Pittsburgh Pirates contract guru—quietly posted to social media the specifics of an agreement between the team and first baseman Rowdy Tellez. The contract's incentive structure, per Hullihen, included a $200,000 incentive if Tellez reached 425 plate appearances in 2024.
That piece of Tellez's contract became news across the baseball world Tuesday afternoon, when the Pirates designated Tellez for assignment... four plate appearances shy of the 425 mark.
