Sunday's series finale in New York was filled with bad mojo, as despite another fantastic pitching performance, the Braves couldn't hold on to a 3-2 ninth-inning lead, with A.J. Minter allowing a two-run walk-off home run to let the sweep slip out of Atlanta's hands.
Combine that with Austin Riley leaving Sunday's game early, and you have an overall sub-par evening.
Still though, there were some positives, and some fun storylines to take out of the series win in the Big Apple.
Jarred Kelenic gets his revenge
Despite the heartbreaking loss via a Brandon Nimmo pinch-hit two-run walk-off home run on Sunday, and another underwhelming offensive performance for the Braves, Jarred Kelenic got his revenge.
Five days after hitting his first home run as a Brave, the former Mets first-round pick rounded the bases again on Sunday, ambushing a Luis Severino fastball in the second inning of the series finale at Citi Field. It was a ball that just got over the right field wall, a 368-yard bomb that wasn't particularly hard hit, or that went very far, but it did the job.
It was a home run that would not have been one in 25 other stadiums, but on a cool Sunday night in the Big Apple, it was enough, and it's a home run that perfectly fits and brings in full circle Kelenic's big league story to this point. Filled with potential, but ultimately underwhelming.
Drafted sixth overall in the 2018 MLB draft by the New York Mets, Kelenic was slated to be the next big thing at Citi Field, but he never made it out of rookie ball, after struggling with a .781 OPS in 44 Appalachian League games. He was dealt to the Seattle Mariners in a shocking blockbuster trade that saw several top 100 MLB prospects as well as Robinson Cano and Jay Bruce involved.
Jarred Kelenic goes yard at Citi Field! 💥 pic.twitter.com/lPZuG4XtSO
— MLB (@MLB) May 12, 2024
Kelenic at the time was the No. 3 prospect in the Mets organization and the No. 62 overall prospect in the entire MLB. It was a head-scratcher of a trade for the Mets at the time, trading their top pick just a few months after drafting him. However, once he got to the big league level in Seattle, though the Mets never got much out of their return in that trade, losing Kelenic never really hurt them.
He struggled for the Mariners, with a slash line of .204/.283/.373 and an OPS of just .656 in three big league seasons. He had his best year in 2023, posting a .746 OPS, and the Braves didn't have to give up much to get him, someone they still believe has unlocked potential.
Despite a hot start this year in Atlanta, it hasn't been great for Kelenic with a .272/.322/.358 slash line and a .680 OPS in 29 games for the Braves. And even Sunday night wasn't great, as after the home run, Kelenic didn't look great at the plate, going 0-for-2 and being pinch-hit for by Adam Duvall in the eighth inning. His defense has been by far the best part of his game this season, and something that will keep him in the lineup moving forward.
However, that home run had to feel good for Kelenic six years after that fateful trade to Seattle.