With spring training over and a season initially set to begin back in the minor leagues, Rowdy Tellez was enjoying a Wednesday-night dinner with some teammates in Dunedin.
Then the 24-year-old California native’s world changed in the best way possible.
A phone call from Gil Kim, the Blue Jays’ director of player development, was a welcome interruption, dispatching Tellez to hustle to Tampa International Airport, where a first-class seat on the late Air Canada flight back to Toronto awaited.
With that, a late Grapefruit League cut was on his way to his first big-league opening day as a player to fill in the designated-hitter void created by the trade of veteran Kendrys Morales.
“I tried to force the issue every time I could (in spring training) with how I played and how I handled myself and carried myself,” said Tellez, who remembered the magic of attending opening day as a kid growing up in San Francisco. “I was fortunate enough that it paid off for me and that I’m in the spot where I am right now.
“I tried to keep as calm as I could and not blow it out of proportion, but obviously it’s a big deal. I’m excited to be here,” added Tellez, one of 10 Jays players who saw their first opening-day action in the big leagues on Thursday. “It’s a great day for me.”
Though he’s had promise at various points of his career, the seeds for the opening-day promotion were actually planted last September when Tellez tore the cover off the ball as a late-season call-up.
Jays manager Charlie Montoyo — then the Tampa bench coach — saw it first-hand for the seven games the Rays played Toronto late in the season. Montoyo couldn’t shake the memory of what he saw.
“I’m excited for Rowdy. He’s going to get a chance to play.” Montoyo said. “That was one of the reasons we made the (Morales) trade, to give our young guys a chance, and Rowdy’s going to get a chance to compete and play.”
The manager acknowledged that Tellez will get ample opportunity at DH, but there will be several bats joining him in that role. On days that first baseman Justin Smoak gets off, Tellez will slide to his natural position on the field, but Randal Grichuk and Billy McKinney will also see time as the DH.
As much as the absence of Morales opens up options, Montoyo said it was tough to see the popular Cuban — and widely acknowledged clubhouse leader — depart.
“He was a leader in the clubhouse, he was a leader to the Latin kids, and he’s going to be missed,” Montoyo said. “But it was something we had to do and now the young kids are going to get a chance to play and see what they can do.”
By Rob Longley
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
