Brewers add Tellez to bolster offense

Move fills need for power bat, veteran leadership

By JR Radcliffe

MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers added a veteran to their young infield on Friday, acquiring first baseman Rowdy Tellez from the Toronto Blue Jays for a pair of minor league pitchers.

Tellez, 30, gives the Brewers a much-needed power bat in the middle of their lineup. He has averaged 20 home runs and 75 RBIs over the past three seasons, and he is on pace to exceed those numbers this year. He also provides the Brewers with some much-needed veteran leadership, having played in over 500 major league games.

The Brewers gave up a pair of pitching prospects in the deal, right-hander Bowden Francis and left-hander Alex De Jesus. Francis, 24, is a former first-round pick who has a 3.86 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A this season. De Jesus, 22, is a hard-throwing reliever who has a 2.70 ERA in 22 appearances at Double-A this season.

The Brewers are hoping that Tellez can help them make a run at the playoffs this season. They are currently in third place in the NL Central, 3.5 games behind the first-place Cardinals.