MAJOR-NEWS: From Future Star to Total Flop? Braves Dump Jarred Kelenic After Nightmare Start

The Atlanta Braves may be nearing the end of the Jarred Kelenic chapter. On Monday, the team optioned the former top prospect, drafted sixth overall in 2018, to Triple-A Gwinnett. Taking his place on the active roster is Eddie Rosario, a former postseason standout for Atlanta, who just signed a major-league deal. While Kelenic once carried lofty expectations, his struggles this season have made this move unsurprising.

Through 65 plate appearances, the 25-year-old has posted a .167 average, two solo home runs, a .231 OBP, and a -0.5 bWAR. He’s also striking out at a 35.4% rate—higher than his career average of 30.6%. Unless something drastically changes, Kelenic’s tenure with the Braves, and even his earlier stint with the Mariners, looks like a failed experiment.

Atlanta took on more than $20 million in contracts last offseason to acquire Kelenic after a 2.1 bWAR year in Seattle. Meanwhile, the Mariners had acquired Kelenic from the Mets in 2018 in exchange for Edwin Díaz, who, despite some bumps, has recorded 123 saves and a 2.38 postseason ERA in New York. Kelenic, however, never lived up to the hype in Seattle, batting just .204 with 32 homers, 109 RBIs, and a .656 OPS over three years.

His -1.6 bWAR in 2021 should’ve been a warning sign. Still, that trade did allow Seattle to offload Robinson Canó, who was suspended for PEDs in 2021 and out of the majors by 2023. As for Kelenic, it’s unclear when—or if—he’ll be back in the majors, though an injury to another outfielder could hasten his return. It’s hard to believe that just two months ago, Braves fans expected Kelenic, not Alex Verdugo, to be a lineup fixture as May approached. Strange times in Atlanta, indeed.