The Atlanta Braves 2025 campaign will officially kick off this week with Opening Day slated for Thursday in San Diego. Atlanta is hoping that the addition of Jurickson Profar and improved roster health are enough to put themselves back on top in the NL East. It is a three-team race with the Braves, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies all expected to be postseason contenders.
Atlanta's 2025 roster appears to be close to locked in with very few surprises. Looking at struggling pieces and decreasing workloads it is interesting to consider who might not factor into the team's long-term plans. Starting with an outfielder who already appears to be running out of time to win a contributing role.
1. Jarred Kelenic
With Ronald Acuna Jr. not expected back until the first weeks of the season are behind us Kelenic had an opportunity. Despite signing Profar, the Braves still had a starting outfield role up for grabs and hadn't brought in notable competition. Bryan De La Cruz outplayed Kelenic in spring training leaving no question who should get the heavier workload.
Not only this but the Braves signed Alex Verdugo to a one-year pact offering the outfielder a chance to rebound after a tough year in New York. Verduo is far more proven than Kelenic and offers more of an upside as a pinch-hitting option once Acuna returns. It was already a bit of a surprise that Kelenic returned for the 2025 season.
Many expected the outfielder to be dealt ahead of spring training to help clear the way for a better option at the plate. Kelenic's second chance appears to be short-lived if the outfielder doesn't find a way to make an early impression.
Barring this, it would be surprising to see Kelenic return for another season or to remain on the big league roster in 2025. The frustrating memories of last year are simply too big a hurdle to completely ignore when the team now has more proven options.