The Atlanta Braves are winding down their matchup with the Red Sox, and things are not going well as the Braves are down 8-0. Rafael Devers is doing bad things to Atlanta and Spencer Schwellenbach's second big league start went decidedly worse than his first one. However, the bigger news was injury-related as yet another Brave is dinged up after playing at Fenway.
Jarred Kelenic has looked like he has started to find his way with the Braves. Unfortunately, in the sixth inning, Kelenic made a really nice diving play to end the inning but also appeared to hurt himself favoring either his wrist or his thumb
Jarred Kelenic is staying in the game after this diving catch. pic.twitter.com/G94t62vsbN
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) June 5, 2024
Kelenic did indeed stay in the game to play defense during the lost cause of a game, but when his spot in the lineup came up in the top of the eighth, Atlanta subbed in JP Martinez to bat in his place.
Braves' Jarred Kelenic may have hurt himself in lost game against Red Sox
There is never a good time to get injured, but it feels especially bad in a game whose outcome was all but decided when the injury happens. Kelenic put his body on the line to make that catch and we respect it, but now there is a real concern that the Braves could be down another outfielder.
We'll know more after the game when Kelenic can be looked at by trainers and medical staff, but it was a good sign that he could at least stay in the game for a couple of innings defensively. Snitker could have just decided to exercise some caution and pull him from an at-bat that wasn't likely to result in much anyway. However, Kelenic was also seen trying to swing a bat after he got back to the dugout from the play in question, so there may be a bigger issue to be examined by trainers and medical staff, but it was a good sign that he could at least stay in the game for a little while longer.
The Braves traded for Kelenic in the hopes that he could establish himself as one of their outfielders of the future. Now, with his health in question and Ronald Acuna Jr. out for the season, the Braves could find themselves very low on outfielders heading into the trade deadline, not unlike the 2021 season. In fairness, that season turned out pretty well.