When Jarred Kelenic was traded to the Atlanta Braves, he was anticipated to be Brian Snitker’s everyday left fielder. His role abruptly changed, and now his expectations for 2025 are up in the air.
In December 2023, the Atlanta Braves acquired outfielder Jarred Kelenic from the Seattle Mariners. Kelenic was expected to be the final piece of the Atlanta outfield puzzle and an everyday starter alongside Ronald Acuña Jr. and Michael Harris II. That thought process changed quickly.
Before Spring Training even ended, Alex Anthopoulos made a move to reunite with right-handed power hitter Adam Duvall once it was revealed that Kelenic might struggle against left-handed pitchers. However, it didn’t take long before Kelenic found himself trying to fill the shoes of the reigning National League MVP after Acuña tore his ACL in late May.
Kelenic’s disappointing season leaves Braves with more questions than answers
The Atlanta Braves are notorious for bringing in players and reviving their careers. Jarred Kelenic seemed like a prime candidate for this after seeing flashes of his potential when he was with Seattle. While the speedy lefty occasionally displayed an impressive skill set, his season numbers were underwhelming, to say the least.
In 131 games, Kelenic finished the 2024 regular season with a .231 batting average, 15 home runs and 45 RBI. While he posted a career-high in home runs, his .286 on-base percentage and 133 strikeouts were less than productive, given the role the Braves needed him to play. Additionally, Kelenic’s defense left much to be desired despite having excellent arm strength. His range wasn't great, with a -3 OAA.
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After the Braves reunited with Jorge Soler at the trade deadline, many saw Kelenic as a potential trade candidate and that Brian Snitker would be content with an outfield of Jorge Soler, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Michael Harris II.
In a shocking turn of events, Atlanta dealt Soler to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for pitcher Griffin Canning, leaving Kelenic’s expectations for 2025 in question, and Ronald Acuña Jr. is not expected to be ready for Opening Day, leaving two big holes in the Atlanta outfield.
Atlanta could give Kelenic another opportunity to prove himself by playing every day, but after four seasons in the big leagues, he seems to fit the role of bench depth much better. Keep an eye on what moves the Braves decide to make this offseason, as that could determine the weight Atlanta will put on Kelenic’s shoulders next year.