Jarred Kelenic is bolstering Braves’ already-potent offense.
The Braves have only played two games in the young MLB season, but a big reason why they’re 2-0 is the contributions of 24-year-old Jarred Kelenic, who was brought to Atlanta via a trade with the Seattle Mariners in December of 2023.
After going 1-2 in Friday’s season-opening win against the Phillies, Kelenic caught fire on Saturday, going 3-4 at the plate with a walk and making a spectacular defensive play as well.
for a Braves team that has a deeper lineup than any in baseball, the pleasant surprise of Kelenic’s hot start only makes the best offense in baseball that much better.
Regardless of what happens in tomorrow afternoon’s series finale, Kelenic’s opening weekend in Philadelphia should be considered a massive success for a player who was the biggest offensive unknown on the team heading into the season.
That distinction is not necessarily a knock on Kelenic, but rather, another example of how good the Braves offense is – and how much better it can be if Kelenic continues to be a consistent contributor.
Kelenic obviously won’t be able to keep his .667 average up all season, but if he develops into a player who gets on base every night, he’ll be a nice addition to a Braves team that needs a scrappy player to complete its lineup.
Kelenic is coming off the best season of his major league career in 2023. After batting under the dreaded Mendoza line in 2021 and 2022, he hit a solid .253 in 2023, with 11 home runs and 49 RBI. It seems that Kelenic is poised for the best season of his young career with an Atlanta team that is sure to once more be one of the best in baseball.
Time will ultimately tell if the Kelenic trade is an overall success for the Braves organization, but he’s already proving his worth on his first weekend with the team.
