Two former Brewers fan favorites shockingly designated for assignment by new teams

One of the necessary aspects of running a major league baseball team is knowing how to get the most out of your players. The ability to tap into a player’s strength, maximize it for as long as possible, and then move on before the regression sets in is something that the Milwaukee Brewers have prided themselves on during their recent run of success. Sure, they've had their fair share of down seasons from unexpected sources (see Jackie Bradley Jr.’s or Jesse Winker's Brewers tenure), but more often than not, players tend to be more successful in Milwaukee than the next stop (or stops) on their journey after they depart. Two former Brewers are once again proving this theory after their designations for assignment this past week.

Back in the summer of 2019, the most exciting thing happening in Milwaukee was perhaps the breakout of rookie sensation Keston Hiura. After making his debut on May 14 of the 2019 season, Hiura put on a show at the plate for the Brewers, who eventually chased down a Wild Card spot. In just 84 games, a little more than half a season, Hiura slugged 19 HR, 23 doubles, and posted an impressive OPS of .938. His 138 OPS+ suggested that Hiura was 38% better than the league average hitter in 2019, despite being just a 22-year-old rookie.

Several years later, the Brewers acquired another powerful bat from the Toronto Blue Jays in Rowdy Tellez for pitching prospect Bowden Francis and veteran reliever Trevor Richards. Tellez immediately injected some life into a sluggish 2021 Brewers offense, posting a .481 slugging percentage in 56 games with the team that season. He followed it up with a strong 2022 campaign, leading the Brewers with 35 HR.

Now, several seasons and multiple stops later, both Hiura and Tellez have been designated for assignment by their respective ball clubs, each coming as a surprise to their fan bases as neither player was having a particularly poor season.

Rowdy Tellez designated for assignment by Seattle Mariners, Keston Hiura DFAd by Colorado Rockies

Just a few weeks ago, Hiura looked like he had turned a corner with his newest team, the Colorado Rockies. Despite not taking advantage of the thin air in Denver, Hiura had collected four hits in his first eight games with the Rockies, and it looked as though Colorado was going to give him enough opportunities to allow him to work through some of the struggles that he had in Milwaukee and last year with the Los Angeles Angels.

However, that time was short-lived as the Rockies designated Hiura for assignment on Monday to make room on their roster for Michael Toglia, who slugged 25 HR for Colorado a season ago. Hiura passed through waivers and will remain with the Rockies organization, where he will continue to play for their Triple-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners designated Tellez for assignment on Friday morning to clear a roster spot for Luke Raley, who had been on the injured list with a right oblique strain since late April. Though Tellez isn't having the best season of his career, he has slugged 11 HR in 62 games and has posted numbers comparable to those of Raley before he went on the injured list. That said, Raley has the better track record and has posted an OPS+ north of 125 in each of the last two seasons. It was a difficult decision for Seattle's front office, who are not doubt hoping that Tellez passes through waivers and remains in their organization.

Overall, neither Tellez nor Hiura has lived up to the expectations that they set while playing in Milwaukee since departing for other ball clubs, but the two have shown glimpses of their former selves and are still deserving of a spot on or near a major league roster.