Jarred Kelenic Out Again Versus A Lefty
Jarred Kelenic will sit for the second straight game on Friday night against the division-rival Washington Nationals at Truist Field with left-hander on the mound. Ramon Laureano will make the start in left field and will bat fifth against Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore. The Braves haven't let Kelenic face any left-handed starters in the second half of the season, and that's not going to change now that Michael Harris II is back from his hamstring injury. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder has gone 14-for-63 (.222) against lefties in his first year in Atlanta with just one of his 13 home runs on the season. Laureano will make yet another start for Atlanta, but his playing time could dry up now that Jorge Soler is back from his hamstring injury. In his 37 games for the Braves, Laureano is hitting .284 (29-for-102) with six homers and 12 RBI. He's never faced Gore in his career.
Source: Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves outfielder Source: Atlanta Braves
Jarred Kelenic Takes A Seat On Saturday
Jarred Kelenic (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Kelenic will remain on the bench for the second straight game, which shouldn't come as a surprise given how his season has gone. Over his last six games, Kelenic has four hits with only one homer and four strikeouts to go along with it. Eli White will take over right field and bat eighth versus right-hander Merrill Kelly. Fantasy managers should be able to find a better streaming option than White for Saturday's slate.
Source: mlb.com
Atlanta Braves outfielder Source: mlb.com
Jarred Kelenic Played Through Injuries Last Season
Jarred Kelenic played through several injuries last season. Toscano noted that the outfielder battled an oblique, wrist, and foot injury during the season. Kelenic said that none were "serious" and were just the result of the long season. Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that Kelenic is expected to compete for opportunities in right field alongside Bryan De La Cruz, while Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) is sidelined. Both outfielders will likely be deployed in a platoon role, but a strong spring training could increase his playing opportunities. Last season, the former top prospect posted a .231/.286/.393 line with 15 home runs and seven stolen bases. However, when facing right-handers, he was more effective, as he held a .235/.295/.416 line. If he opens the season on the strong side of a platoon, he could have value in deeper NL-only formats.
Source: Justin Toscano
According to Justin Toscano of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Braves outfielder Source: Justin Toscano
Jarred Kelenic, Bryan De La Cruz Could Platoon In Right Field
Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) is able to return from a torn left ACL he suffered last year, Jarred Kelenic will be the team's primary right fielder, but MLB.com's Mark Bowman writes that Kelenic could platoon with the right-handed-hitting Bryan De La Cruz. Jurickson Profar will start in left, and Michael Harris II will be in center field. In his first year with Atlanta in 2024, Kelenic, a former top prospect with the Seattle Mariners, slashed .231/.286/.393 with 15 home runs in 131 regular-season games. The 25-year-old posted a rough .595 OPS in the second half and will likely be Atlanta's fourth outfielder when Acuna returns. De La Cruz, 28, doesn't really take many walks, but he did hit .285/.309/.425 in 188 plate appearances against lefties with the Marlins and Pirates. A short-side platoon early on could give him some fantasy appeal in deep-mixed and NL-only leagues.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Until Atlanta Braves outfielder Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Jarred Kelenic, Braves Avoid Arbitration
Jarred Kelenic and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.3 million to avoid arbitration. The former top prospect spent the entire 2024 campaign with the Atlanta Braves. While he performed well at times, he struggled to find consistency as he held an overall .231/.286/.393 slash line with 15 home runs and seven stolen bases. During the first half, he held a solid .255 AVG and a .418 SLG but saw his production drop considerably in the second half to a mere .182 AVG and a .343 SLG. The 25-year-old generated a modest 45.2% hard-hit rate and a 9.9% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should expect Kelenic to operate as the everyday left fielder in Atlanta in 2025 but could be given a shorter leash given his late-season struggles in 2024.
Source: Atlanta Braves
According to the team, outfielder Source: Atlanta Braves
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