The Toronto Blue Jays traded first baseman Rowdy Tellez to the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday in exchange for right-handers Trevor Richards and Bowden Francis.
Tellez, 26, was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on June 22 after batting .209 with four homers and just eight RBIs in 50 games with the Blue Jays this season.
Tellez batted .241 with 37 homers and 99 RBIs in 219 games over parts of four seasons with Toronto, including a career-high 21 home runs in 2019.
With All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. now entrenched at first base and the Blue Jays in need of pitching help, Tellez became expendable.
Richards, 28, was traded for the second time this season. He joined Milwaukee in the May 21 trade that brought in shortstop Willy Adames from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for right-handers J.P. Feyereisen and Drew Rasmussen.
Richards went 3-0 with a 3.20 ERA in 15 appearances for the Brewers, striking out 25 batters and walking nine in 19 2/3 innings.
His career numbers include a 13-21 record and one save with a 4.34 ERA in 85 games (52 starts) with the Miami Marlins (2018-19), Rays (2019-21) and Brewers.
Francis, 25, has not yet pitched in the majors. He posted a combined 7-3 record with a 3.62 ERA in 11 starts this season between Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville. He struck out 65 and walked 17 in 59 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media