SI

Jeff Passan Went Off on Pirates Owner Bob Nutting Over Meager Payroll

Ryan Phillips

Passan ripped Nutting for his franchise's small payroll.
Passan ripped Nutting for his franchise's small payroll. /
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It's safe to say ESPN's Jeff Passan isn't a fan of Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting.

On Wednesday, Pat McAfee had the ESPN MLB insider on his show to discuss the Pirates' treatment of first baseman Rowdy Tellez. Tellez was four at-bats away from hitting a $200,000 bonus in his contract when Pittsburgh released him on Tuesday. While Passan said that stuff happens all the time, he took aim at Nutting for how he runs his franchise.

"I think the important point here is not to focus on how the Pirates screwed Rowdy Tellez out of $200,000," Passan said, "it's to look at the Pirates and look at Bob Nutting and to ask, 'Why is Rowdy Tellez your first baseman in the first place? Why aren't you going out and getting better players? Why don't you sign Christian Walker or Pete Alonso, or someone this winter to go and be a part of the core of that lineup long-term? Why are you always playing for short term with little money? Why do you have an $86 million payroll to open the season when the rest of the sport, at the top, has $300-plus million? How do you continue to exist as a Major League Baseball owner, who theoretically wants to win a championship, and do so pinching pennies?"

He added, "This is what happens. This, Pat, is the consequence of ownership that does not treat things seriously."

Pirates fans should pay to put that entire segment on a video billboard across from PNC Park and play it on repeat all offseason.

It's the final week of the 2024 MLB season and the Pirates sit in last place of the National League Central with a 73–84 record. That's the eighth-worst record in baseball despite having the best young pitcher on the planet in Paul Skenes.

Things need to change in Pittsburgh.

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Ryan Phillips

RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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