Atlanta optioned Kelenic to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.
Even with Atlanta missing Ronald Acuna (knee) and Jurickson Profar (suspension), Kelenic finds himself the odd man out in the club's outfield mix. He has slashed only .167/.231/.300 with a 35.4 percent strikeout rate this season and has done very little since arriving in Atlanta last season outside of one big month last June when he had a .900 OPS. Kelenic is still just 25 but is sitting on a career .658 OPS and 30.6 percent strikeout rate in 406 major-league games.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Sitting again Saturday
Rotowire
Kelenic is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks.
After starting the season with a .531 OPS through 65 plate appearances, Kelenic will give way to Eli White in right field for a second consecutive game.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Not starting Friday
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Kelenic isn't in the lineup for Atlanta's game against the Diamondbacks on Friday.
Kelenic will take a seat Friday after going 4-for-19 with a homer, three runs scored and six strikeouts over his last six games. His absence will clear a spot in right field for Eli White to pick up a start and bat eighth.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Connects for second homer
Rotowire
Kelenic went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-4 win over the Twins.
Kelenic was 0-for-8 over his previous four games and has started to see his playing time diminish amid the slump. The 25-year-old outfielder got Atlanta on the board with a fifth-inning homer Friday, and he's up to two homers, two RBI, five runs scored and a .163/.250/.326 slash line over 48 plate appearances this season. Kelenic is strictly a strong-side platoon option, and in the long run, he could become a bench outfielder once Ronald Acuna (knee) is ready to make his season debut.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Getting afternoon off
Rotowire
Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays.
Though the Blue Jays are sending a right-hander (Chris Bassitt) to the hill for a day game after a night game, the lefty-hitting Kelenic will head to the bench. Kelenic is slashing just .171/.275/.286 (65 wRC+) over 35 plate appearances against right-handers this season, and his ongoing struggles could cost him his strong-side platoon role once Alex Verdugo is called up from Triple-A Gwinnett.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: On bench against lefty
Rotowire
Kelenic is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays.
The left-handed-hitting Kelenic will retreat to the bench while the Blue Jays send southpaw Easton Lucas to the hill for the series opener. Stuart Fairchild will pick up a start in right field in place of Kelenic.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Sitting against southpaw
Rotowire
Kelenic isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies.
Left-hander Jesus Luzardo will toe the slab for Philadelphia on Thursday, so the lefty-hitting Kelenic will begin the game on the bench. While he rests, Bryan De La Cruz, Michael Harris and Stuart Fairchild will start across the outfield for Atlanta.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Socks first homer of 2025
Rotowire
Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Padres.
The 25-year-old took Dylan Cease deep to lead off the top of the fifth inning and tie the game at 3-3. It was Kelenic's first hit of the season after an 0-for-4 showing in an Opening Day loss. Atlanta is counting on Kelenic to fill a strong-side platoon role in right field while waiting for Ronald Acuna (knee) to return, but he's hit ninth in both games so far and his fantasy utility is limited to deep mixed and NL-only formats.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Pops first spring homer
Rotowire
Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.
The 25-year-old outfielder took Wilking Rodriguez deep in the seventh inning, giving Kelenic his first homer of the spring. He's expected to begin the season on the strong side of a platoon in right field with Bryan De La Cruz, but the assignment will only be a temporary one as Atlanta waits for Ronald Acuna (knee) to be cleared for his 2025 debut. Kelenic saw a career-high 449 plate appearances last year, but he turned them into a tepid .231/.286/.393 slash line with 15 homers, 45 RBI and 49 runs.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Competing for right field reps
Rotowire
Kelenic is slated to compete for playing time in right field until Ronald Acuna (knee) returns, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Newly signed Jurickson Profar is slated for everyday playing time in left field, which leaves Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz in a likely platoon in right field for the first month or so of the season while Acuna is out. Once Acuna returns, Kelenic could be pegged for a fourth outfielder role. The former top prospect slashed .231/.286/.393 with 15 home runs over 131 games during the regular season in his first year with Atlanta, sagging to a .595 OPS in the second half.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Reaches deal with Atlanta
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Atlanta and Kelenic avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.3 million contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
It's a substantial raise for Kelenic, who was eligible for arbitration for the first time as a Super 2 qualifier. The 25-year-old outfielder slashed .231/.286/.393 with 15 home runs over 131 games during the regular season in his first year with Atlanta. While Kelenic looks like the favorite right now to open the 2025 season as Atlanta's starting left fielder versus righties, he's probably not guaranteed a job after posting just a .595 OPS in the second half of 2024.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Losing work to Laureano
Rotowire
Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.
The left-handed-hitting Kelenic has picked up just two starts in eight games, even while Atlanta has opposed six right-handed starters during that span. After previously occupying the strong side of a platoon in left field, Kelenic appears to have ceded everyday duties at the position to Ramon Laureano. Kelenic's reduction in playing time comes while he's managed a lowly .176/.240/.294 slash line with a 30.7 percent strikeout rate dating back to Aug. 10.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Not in Monday's lineup
Rotowire
Kelenic is not in the lineup for Monday's game versus the Dodgers.
Kelenic manned left field for Atlanta in both of the last two games, but Ramon Laureano will be in the lineup Monday versus righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Kelenic has now hit the bench four times over the last six contests, with three of his absences coming against right-handed pitchers.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Sitting Friday
Rotowire
Kelenic is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers.
Despite having the platoon advantage against right-hander Landon Knack, Kelenic will take a seat for Friday's contest. In his place, Ramon Laureano will play left field and bat sixth. Kelenic is 5-for-19 (.263) with two homers and a stolen base in September.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Socks 15th homer
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Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Sunday's extra-innings win over the Blue Jays.
The 25-year-old got Atlanta on the board in the second inning by belting a Yariel Rodriguez splitter over the fence in right-center field. Kelenic has a modest five-game hit streak going in which he's produced two homers and five RRBI, but on the season he's slashing just .234/.287/.401 with 15 long balls, seven steals, 44 RBI and 48 runs in 126 contests.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Seeing more action against righties
Rotowire
Kelenic is starting in left field and batting seventh Friday against the Blue Jays.
The 25-year-old saw his playing time drop in August, but he's now making his third straight start against a right-handed pitcher. Kelenic has gone 2-for-7 with a three-run homer in his past two games to bust out of an 0-for-13 slump.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Belts three-run homer
Rotowire
Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in a 5-2 win over Colorado on Wednesday.
Kelenic capped a big four-run first inning for Atlanta with a three-run blast to right field. The long ball snapped a 23-game homerless stretch for the outfielder during which he batted just .216 and struck out 19 times over 51 at-bats. That poor stretch has been partly responsible for Kelenic losing work to Ramon Laureano -- Wednesday's start was just the second for Kelenic over Atlanta's past eight contests.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Shielded from lefty Sunday
Rotowire
Kelenic is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
The lefty-hitting Kelenic will take a seat for the third time in four games with the opposition sending another southpaw (DJ Herz) to the hill. Ramon Laureano will step in for Kelenic in left field.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Sitting versus southpaw
Rotowire
Kelenic is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies.
The Phillies are going with left-hander Cristopher Sanchez in Thursday's series finale, so the left-handed hitting Kelenic will begin the contest on the bench. Adam Duvall is getting the call in left field for Atlanta.
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Braves' Jarred Kelenic: Out versus lefty
Rotowire
Kelenic isn't in Atlanta's lineup Wednesday against the Giants.
Kelenic will take a seat on the bench Wednesday as Atlanta prepares to face a left-handed starter -- Robbie Ray -- for the second time in as many days. Jorge Soler, Michael Harris and Ramon Laureano will start from left to right across the outfield while Kelenic rests.
