NEW YORK (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers acquired first baseman Rowdy Tellez from the Toronto Blue Jays for right-handed pitchers Trevor Richards and Bowden Francis.
Tellez, 26, had been with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A Buffalo affiliate after struggling in the majors this season with a .209 batting average, four homers and eight RBIs in 50 games. He hit 21 homers for Toronto in 2019 and had an .886 OPS in 35 games last season.
The Brewers needed some help at first base with Daniel Vogelbach on the injured list due to a strained left hamstring. Vogelbach isn’t expected to return until August.
Keston Hiura, who opened the season as the Brewers’ starting first baseman, is batting .161 and already has been sent to the minors twice this season. Hiura showed signs of progress during the Brewers’ recent 11-game winning streak, but he has gone 0 for 7 with six strikeouts over his last two games.
Richards, 28, is changing teams for the second time this season. The Brewers had acquired him along with shortstop Willy Adames in a May 21 trade that sent relievers J.P. Feyereisen and Drew Rasmussen to the Tampa Bay Rays.
After going 0-0 with one save and a 4.50 ERA in six games with Tampa Bay, Richards was 3-0 with a 3.20 ERA in 15 games with Milwaukee.
Francis, 25, is 7-3 with a 3.62 ERA in 11 starts at Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville this season.
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