If there is anyone who desperately needs to turn things around, it’s Rowdy Tellez.

His struggles are well documented: a .188 batting average, a .499 OPS, underwhelming defense, and constant pop flies.

His bad performance is only further underscored as his platoon partner, Connor Joe, continues to be the best batter the Pirates have. That statement both shows how good a season Joe is having to this point, and how many other players have vastly underwhelmed so far this season.

Tellez, once a 35-home run man not that long ago, headlines that list. He was an early free agency signing by the Pirates to plug the gap at first base.

Last season, Carlos Santana filled that role, signing a one year deal with the team before being traded at the deadline for incredibly young shortstop prospect Jhonny Severino.

Santana expressed interest in coming back to the Pirates for 2024, a place where he slashed .235/.321/.412 and had an OPS of .732. More impressive however was the 12 home runs and 53 RBIs he had in just 94 games.

Tellez, meanwhile, headed into today, May 17th, on pace for about 4 home runs and around 30 RBI, assuming he played every remaining game – which he of course shouldn’t.

Santana this season meanwhile, is averaging a subpar .205, but does have 7 home runs and 21 RBI.

Hell, even Alfonso Rivas, the stopgap first baseman the Pirates got in the Rich Hill/Ji Man Choi, had a better run with the Pirates in a just about equal amount of time.

Rivas batted .234, had a .741 OPS, and hit 3 home runs and 14 RBI. Rivas played 40 games for the Pirates down the stretch last season.