Rowdy Tellez proves this year’s Pirates team is different with 1 selfless act

It was a night to forget for Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar.

Tasked with nailing down the save against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, the two-time All-Star instead gave up four runs in a third of an inning and took the loss.

To make matters worse, Pirates fans in attendance let him hear it as he walked off the mound, showering the star closer with boos.

After the Pirates’ 5-3 loss to the Tigers, Bednar was about to speak to the media before Rowdy Tellez intervened and put in his two cents on the situation.

“This is the pride of Pittsburgh,” Tellez said. “To everybody, we don’t do that out here. We’re a good team. We’re winning for a reason. We’re gonna get our man back on track, but what happened today is, I think, unacceptable. We as a group in Pittsburgh gotta be better. He’s an All-Star for a reason and we just have to be better. That being said, two-time All-Star.”

Rowdy Tellez vouches for Bednar after blown save

To say Bednar had a rough night would be an understatement. The Pirates closer has only converted one of his four save opportunities and watched his ERA balloon to 12.46 on Tuesday night.

Things only got worse when he heard the noise from the crowd.

Fortunately, Tellez had his back and took it upon himself to cheer up his new teammate. He clearly was not happy with the way the fans treated Bednar after blowing his third save.

The Pirates own a record of 9-3 and lead the NL Central. The team endured another rocky season in 2023, finishing 76-86.

But having somebody like Tellez around is beneficial for a young Pirates club. He’s a veteran voice and somebody young players can lean on for guidance. This Pirates team could end up being much different from last year’s squad, as Tellez provides key veteran leadership.

The veteran first baseman’s actions were selfless, and he spoke purely from the heart rather than preparing a statement, taking it upon himself to do what was necessary to ensure that Bednar didn’t get too down on himself.

Tellez clearly believes that Bednar will improve as the season goes on, and Bednar surely appreciated the words of encouragement from his new teammate.

Hopefully, the next time Bednar takes the mound, he’ll get a nice ovation from the fans in Pittsburgh, similar to Trea Turner in Philadelphia last season.