Every player has that team that, for whatever reason, they dominate. For Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Rowdy Tellez, that team is the Boston Red Sox.
We see it all the time. Every fanbase has that opposing player that they detest because he dominates their favorite team, even if they are somewhat mediocre everywhere else. For Red Sox fans, they have a new subject for their ire in Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Rowdy Tellez.
To say that Tellez has dominated Boston would be a bit of an understatement. In his 91 plate appearances against the Red Sox, he has produced a .377/.451/.857 batting line, hitting 11 homers and four doubles. Against everyone else, Tellez has produced a .231/.280/.432 batting line in 516 plate appearances, with 22 homers and 28 doubles.
Tellez was an unheralded part of the Blue Jays youth movement, overshadowed by their collection of second generation prospects. He did not do much to garner attention as a rookie in 2019, producing an underwhelming .227/.293/.449 batting line in 409 plate appearances. He hit just 21 homers and 19 doubles, not the type of production anyone looks for from their first baseman.
That lack of production prompted changes for the Blue Jays. Travis Shaw was brought in and installed as their primary third baseman. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was moved across the diamond to first. Tellez, meanwhile, would be fighting for playing time at first and as the Blue Jays designated hitter.
It is possible that those moves lit a fire under Tellez. He has responded with a .295/.361/.562 batting line with eight homers and four doubles heading into Monday. Suddenly, he has gone from a player that might be replaced to a part of the present and future core once again.
Naturally, those improvements for Tellez this year have carried over to his time against the Red Sox. He has hit their pitching even harder, with a .400/.486/.800 batting line in 37 plate appearances, hitting four home runs. Tellez shows no signs of slowing down, at least against Boston.
Rowdy Tellez has been a thorn in the Red Sox side since reaching the majors. This year, the Toronto Blue Jays first baseman is bringing that production to the rest of the league as well.