Former Atlanta Braves outfielder Jarred Kelenic is facing yet another setback this past week as the Texas Rangers released the veteran. Kelenic has bounced around the league since leaving Atlanta and has been unable to find any starting position, with teams quickly realizing the same struggles that pushed the former Brave out of Atlanta. Texas was the latest example of this as Kelenic struck out five times in only eight trips to the plate.
Add in the fact that Kelenic has only 13 combined hits in 61 plate appearances with the Chicago White Sox and Rangers, and there is no debating that the left-handed hitter is quickly running out of time. Kelenic had some nice moments with the Braves but appeared unable to handle the mental strain of dips in offensive production.
Kelenic began to allow these struggles to erode his defense and baserunning, making the need for Atlanta to turn the page clear. The year and a half since has made it undeniable that the franchise made the right decision, as it is fair to wonder how many options the outfielder has left after two failed tenures this season.
Former Braves Outfielder Jarred Kelenic Released Yet Again as Career Continues to Spiral
For the Braves, there is not a lot of reason to debate a potential reunion despite the team's need for outfield depth. Atlanta could use an offensive boost in the outfield, but Kelenic isn't going to be anything but a downgrade in comparison to Eli White or Mike Yastrzemski. Even career minor leaguer Brewer Hicklen has had some nice moments with the franchise this season.
Looking at potential landing spots, it becomes increasingly clear just how few options the veteran has in the year ahead. It wouldn't be a surprise to see nothing short of a minor league option for a rebuilding roster offered to Kelenic.
It is sad to see the outfielder struggle at this level when you look at the clear potential flashed early in his career. Both the Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves went through periods of believing Kelenic could be a viable starter in an everyday lineup.
A take that has been proven undeniably false, with Kelenic now reduced to hoping another team will take a flyer on a career that is very quickly falling in the wrong direction. No question, the former Brave appears to be very quickly reaching the end of a career that hasn't gone according to expectations.
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