Jarred Kelenic
YEARTEAMGABRHitsRBIDTHRBBSOSBCSEAVGOBPSLUG
2022Vigilantes16463742002131000.1520.1880.196
2023Vigilantes8283320022102000.1070.2420.321
2024Vigilantes3512713321250310496000.2520.3070.362
2025Vigilantes123971142024112000.2820.3490.487
MLB Player Data
DateNewsComment
Apr 18 2025Kelenic went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-4 win over the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was 0-for-8 over his previous four games and has started to see his playing time falter amid the slump. The 25-year-old outfielder got Atlanta on the board with a fifth-inning homer Friday. He's up to two homers, two RBI, five runs scored and a .163/.250/.326 slash line over 48 plate appearances. He's also been caught stealing in his lone attempt 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.
Apr 16 2025Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Apr 14 2025Kelenic is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Apr 10 2025Kelenic isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Apr 2 2025Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic will get a chance to catch his breath Wednesday after going 3-for-19 with a home run and seven strikeouts through Atlanta's first six contests. His absence will move Bryan De La Cruz to left field, which opens up right field for Stuart Fairchild against Los Angeles southpaw Blake Snell.
Mar 29 2025Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Padres. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Mar 3 2025Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Jan 24 2025Kelenic is slated to compete for playing time in right field until Ronald Acuna (knee) returns, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Jan 9 2025Atlanta and Kelenic avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.3 million contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Sep 18 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Sep 17 2024Kelenic is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Cincinnati. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Kelenic will begin the series opener on the bench as the Reds send southpaw Brandon Williamson to the hill. Ramon Laureano -- who has also been stealing some starts from Kelenic versus righties -- will patrol left field for Atlanta.
Sep 16 2024Kelenic is not in the lineup for Monday's game versus the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Sep 13 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Sep 11 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic appeared to recapture a strong-side platoon role in left field earlier this month, but he'll hit the bench against a right-hander (Jake Irvin) while the right-handed-hitting Ramon Laureano takes Kelenic's spot in the outfield. Through his first six games of September, Kelenic has gone 5-for-19 with two home runs, two walks, five RBI, four runs and one stolen base.
Sep 10 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic went 3-for-12 with a homer and two walks while starting the previous four games, but he'll take a seat Tuesday as southpaw MacKenzie Gore pitches for Washington. Ramon Laureano will man left field and bat fifth.
Sep 9 2024Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Sunday's extra-innings win over the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Sep 6 2024Kelenic is starting in left field and batting seventh Friday against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 25-year-old had seen his playing time drop a bit in late 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 as he busted out of an 0-for-13 slump.
Sep 4 2024Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in a 5-2 win over Colorado on Wednesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Aug 28 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Atlanta hasn't revealed that Kelenic is nursing an injury, but the lefty-hitting outfielder will nonetheless find himself on the bench against a right-handed starting pitcher (David Festa) for the second straight day. Manager Brian Snitker looks to be riding the hot bat in left field, and for the moment, that's Ramon Laureano, who is will stick in the lineup for the 19th time in 20 games after producing a 1.000 OPS dating back to Aug. 8. Kelenic, meanwhile, has provided a .543 OPS during that same timeframe.
Aug 25 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Aug 23 2024Kelenic is absent from the lineup for Friday's contest against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was given a good number of starts versus left-handed pitching in the first half, but Atlanta has now faced seven southpaws since the All-Star break and Kelenic hasn't been in the lineup for any of then. Ramon Laureano will patrol left field Friday.
Aug 22 2024Kelenic is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Aug 14 2024Kelenic isn't in Atlanta's lineup Wednesday against the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Aug 13 2024Kelenic isn't in Atlanta's lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Giants, Lindsay Crosby of AthlonSports.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With left-hander Kyle Harrison set to throw the first pitch for San Francisco, the lefty-hitting Kelenic will step out of Tuesday's lineup. While he rests, Jorge Soler, Eli White and Ramon Laureano will start across Atlanta's outfield.
Aug 12 2024Kelenic is absent from the lineup for Monday's game in San Francisco. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The opposition is starting a southpaw versus Atlanta for the second day in a row, so the left-handed hitting Kelenic will again be out of the lineup. Jorge Soler, Ramon Laureano and Adam Duvall will patrol the outfield.
Aug 11 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic went 3-for-8 with a double and two runs in the first two games of the series but will sit for Sunday's finale. Adam Duvall will start in left field while Eli White starts in center.
Aug 7 2024Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 8-5 loss to Milwaukee. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic is 4-for-19 (.211) with two extra-base hits since the start of August. The outfielder has at least maintained steady playing time in center field following Atlanta's trade for Jorge Soler, but Kelenic has hit no higher than eighth over the last seven games. Atlanta hasn't faced a southpaw in that stretch either, so it's unclear if Kelenic is at risk of losing out on at-bats to Ramon Laureano. In any case, Kelenic's run as a lineup regular could come to a close once Michael Harris (hamstring) completes the rehab assignment he started Tuesday. For the season, Kelenic is sporting a .234/.288/.407 slash line with 13 homers, 34 RBI, 39 runs scored and six stolen bases over 366 plate appearances.
Jul 31 2024Kelenic will start in center field and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Brewers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic had occupied the leadoff spot in each of his last 38 starts, and while he supplied a decent amount of pop (.421 slugging percentage) and speed (five stolen bases in six attempts) during that stretch, he got on base at a meager .281 clip and struck out in 27.4 percent of his plate appearances. On Tuesday, manager Brian Snitker told David O'Brien of The Athletic that trade-deadline pickup Jorge Soler would serve as Atlanta's primary leadoff man moving forward, resulting in Kelenic dropping in the batting order. The No. 8 spot isn't ideal from a run-producing or run-scoring standpoint, but Kelenic could still hold some fantasy appeal in deeper leagues if he continues to display the power/speed combo he showcased during his run as the club's leadoff man.
Jul 30 2024Kelenic went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double, two walks and two total runs scored in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Brewers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic entered Tuesday on an 0-for-17 skid over his last four games. He broke out in a big way with his fourth-inning solo shot, earning his first multi-hit effort since July 9. The outfielder is batting just .143 in July, a slump that has him at a .239/.293/.411 slash line for the year after playing well through June. He's added 12 homers, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored, 14 doubles, two triples and six stolen bases through 92 contests.
Jul 28 2024Kelenic is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Since July 10, Kelenic has gone just 3-for-51 with a 29.3 percent strikeout rate. He will retreat to the dugout for Sunday's series finale, with Ramon Laureano starting in center field and batting sixth against Mets southpaw David Peterson.
Jul 22 2024Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The third-inning shot off Miles Mikolas was Kelenic's 11th long ball of the season, and he appears to be shaking off the slump he was mired in prior to the All-Star break. The 25-year-old outfielder went 0-for-22 in the six games before the break, but after ripping a triple in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader, he's collected extra-base hits in consecutive games for the first time since July 6-7.
Jul 7 2024Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer, a walk and two strikeouts in Sunday's win over the Phillies ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was one of three Atlanta hitters to go deep off rookie Michael Mercado in the second inning. The 24-year-old continues to be a revelation for Atlanta since they started giving him regular playing time. Kelenic hit his 10th home run of the season, and all have come in his last 49 games. He's hitting .277/.313/.500 with 25 RBI and four stolen bases in that span, and he should continue hitting leadoff with Ronald Acuña (knee) out for the season.
Jun 29 2024Kelenic went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 2-1, extra-inning win against the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic got to rookie phenom Paul Skenes for a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the first inning, though that was the only run Atlanta managed until Adam Duvall hit a walk-off single in the 10th frame. Kelenic has been hot of late, collecting three multi-hit efforts over his past five games. He's batting .474 (9-for-19) with two long balls, five RBI and a stolen base during that stretch.
Jun 26 2024Kelenic went 6-for-9 with a home run, four RBI and one stolen base over both games of Wednesday's doubleheader versus the Cardinals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic knocked in half of Atlanta's runs in the matinee games, and he added an RBI single for their lone run in the nightcap. The outfielder has enjoyed a strong June, going 25-for-78 (.321) with five homers, 13 RBI and three steals over 21 contests this month. He's up to a .282/.321/.459 slash line with eight long balls, 25 RBI, three steals, 24 runs scored and 11 doubles through 65 games on the year.
Jun 24 2024Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday's win over the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He took Nestor Cortes deep for a solo shot in the third inning before adding a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Kelenic extended his hitting streak to 10 games with the blast, and over that stretch he's slashing .317/.356/.585 with three of his seven homers on the season.
Jun 22 2024Kelenic went 2-for-5 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in Friday's win over the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He extended his hitting streak to eight games with another strong performance. Over 16 games in June, Kelenic is slashing .288/.333/.492 with three doubles, three homers, two steals, seven runs and seven RBI, and the 24-year-old has provided a spark for Atlanta since moving into the leadoff spot.
Jun 18 2024Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Monday's win over the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 24-year-old is thriving as Atlanta's leadoff hitter. Kelenic has a five-game hitting streak going in which he's batting .333 (7-for-21). Since Ronald Acuna (knee) was lost for the season May 26, Kelenic has stepped up in an everyday role, slashing .302/.338/.540 with three home runs, two steals, nine runs and nine RBI in 19 contests.
Jun 17 2024Kelenic went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Sunday's 8-6 loss to the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 24-year-old homered for the second straight game since moving into the leadoff spot. Kelenic has six long balls on the season, but three of them have come in the last seven games, and he's slashing .293/.341/.561 through 44 plate appearances in June.
Jun 15 2024Kelenic went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 9-2 victory versus the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic batted out of the leadoff spot for the first time this season while also making his first start in center field as a result of Michael Harris (hamstring) landing on the injured list. Given his performance Saturday, Kelenic could lead off regularly against right-handers for as long as Harris is out. The lefty batter recorded his fourth three-hit effort of the campaign and gave Atlanta its first lead with a two-run blast in the fifth inning. Kelenic bats mostly against righties and has accumulated a .269/.313/.425 slash line overall this season with five homers, 17 RBI, 19 runs and a stolen base.
Jun 12 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Kelenic had started in both of Atlanta's previous two matchups with lefty starters, but he'll take a seat Wednesday while the Orioles bring southpaw Cade Povich to the mound. Adam Duvall will move over from right field to cover Kelenic's usual spot in left field while Brian Anderson draws the start in right.
Jun 9 2024Kelenic went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run Sunday against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's ninth-inning three-run blast cut the deficit to three and provided Atlanta with their final runs of the afternoon. The homer was a good sign for Kelenic, who appears to be fine after having missed a couple of games earlier in the week with a wrist injury. It was the seventh multi-hit game of the season for Kelenic, who is hitting .310 (9-for-29) with three doubles, a triple, a homer and five RBI over his last nine games.
Jun 8 2024Kelenic (wrist) is starting in left field and batting ninth Saturday versus the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic missed Atlanta's last two games after injuring his wrist on a diving catch Wednesday, but it no longer seems to be an issue. The 24-year-old outfielder has gone 10-for-31 (.323) with three RBI and five runs scored over his last 10 games.
Jun 7 2024Kelenic (wrist) is likely to return to Atlanta's lineup Saturday versus the Nationals, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic is missing a second straight start Friday after tweaking his right wrist on a diving catch Wednesday. However, he hit in the cage Friday and will be available to pinch hit. Barring any complications, Kelenic should be back in there for Saturday's contest.
Jun 6 2024Kelenic (wrist) isn't in Atlanta's lineup for Thursday's game against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic made an early exit from Wednesday's contest after injuring his right wrist on a diving catch in the sixth inning. Initial X-rays came back clean immediately after the game, but Atlanta will err on the side of caution and keep him out for Thursday's series opener. Adam Duvall, Michael Harris and Brian Anderson will start across the outfield with Kelenic out.
Jun 5 2024Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said that Kelenic (wrist) is expected to be fine after being removed from Wednesday's 9-0 loss to the Red Sox, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Kelenic went hitless in two at-bats before leaving the game. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning after tweaking his right wrist on a diving catch earlier in the game. However, the outfielder tested out the strength of the wrist and also had X-rays after the contest, and everything checked out fine. Kelenic will be re-evaluated prior to Thursday's game against the Nationals, but he's not expected to miss any starts.
May 27 2024Kelenic went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored in Sunday's win over the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 24-year-old outfielder started the day on the bench with southpaw Martin Perez pitching for Pittsburgh, but he was pressed into duty when Ronald Acuna (knee) went down and scored multiple runs in a game for the first time in 2024. Kelenic has only five plate appearances against lefties so far this year, and his third-inning single off Perez was his first hit against one, but with Acuna now lost for the season, Atlanta may not be able to limit Kelenic to a strict platoon role.
May 26 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Pittsburgh bringing a southpaw (Martin Perez) to the hill for the second time in the series, the lefty-hitting Kelenic will remain on the bench. Adam Duvall will fill in as Atlanta's left fielder and will bat sixth.
May 24 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Kelenic won't face southpaw Bailey Falter on Friday. Instead, Adam Duvall will start in left and bat eighth.
May 23 2024Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic opened the scoring in the fifth inning, taking Hayden Wesneski deep. This was Kelenic's third straight game with a hit, and all three of his homers this year have come over his last 11 contests, a span in which he's hitting .222 (8-for-36). The outfielder is at a .248/.293/.376 slash line with eight RBI, 11 runs scored, five doubles and no stolen bases over 116 plate appearances. He is likely to remain limited to a strong-side platoon role in left field, sharing the position with Adam Duvall, unless either outfielder goes on an extended hot streak.
May 22 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The left-handed-hitting Kelenic will take a seat Wednesday while southpaw Justin Steele takes the hill for Chicago. Platoon mate Adam Duvall will fill in for Kelenic in left field.
May 13 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Kelenic will retreat to the bench for the series opener versus the Cubs with ace lefty Shota Imanaga taking the bump for Chicago. The right-handed-hitting Adam Duvall will fill in for Kelenic in left field.
May 8 2024Kelenic went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His third-inning shot off Kutter Crawford got Atlanta on the board, and gave Kelenic his first long ball of the season. Despite the lack of power, the 24-year-old has generally been hitting well in his strong-side platoon role, slashing .280/.333/.373 in 81 plate appearances. Only one of those PAs has come against a southpaw, but with Adam Duvall scuffling so far (.220/.310/.380 in 58 PAs), Kelenic might get more opportunities against same-handed pitching if he heats up.
May 1 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Kelenic typically sits when Atlanta faces off against left-handed starting pitchers, but the young outfielder will cede his spot in the lineup to Adam Duvall while right-hander Emerson Hancock takes the hill for Seattle. Atlanta may just have wanted to open up playing time for Duvall, who hadn't started since last Friday while the club had faced off against right-handers in each of the previous four games.
Apr 26 2024Kelenic is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Guardians. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Lefty Logan Allen is pitching for Cleveland, so Kelenic will unsurprisingly start Friday's contest on the bench. Adam Duvall will receive another look in left field while batting ninth.
Apr 22 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As has typically been the case this season, the lefty-hitting Kelenic finds himself on the bench to begin Monday's series opener while the Marlins bring a southpaw (Ryan Weathers) to the hill. Platoon mate Adam Duvall will replace Kelenic in left field and will bat seventh.
Apr 19 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic is 2-for-13 with six strikeouts over his past four games and will sit Friday since lefty Andrew Heaney is starting for Texas. Adam Duvall will receive another start in left field as the pair of outfielders continue to platoon the position.
Apr 14 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Sunday's game versus the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic will hit the bench for the third time in four games, with all three absences coming while Atlanta has faced left-handed starting pitchers. The 24-year-old looks to be in a strict platoon in left field with the right-handed-hitting Adam Duvall, who gets the starting nod Sunday.
Apr 12 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic will once again head to the bench as Atlanta faces a left-handed starter (Trevor Rogers). Adam Duvall is starting in left field and batting sixth.
Apr 11 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Kelenic will give way to the righty-hitting Adam Duvall while the Mets bring southpaw Jose Quintana to the hill for the series finale. Kelenic has been a strict strong-side platoon player thus far in his first season in Atlanta, logging just one plate appearance versus a lefty while slashing .480/.536/.600 in 28 plate appearances versus righties.
Apr 5 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Southpaw Tommy Henry is pitching Friday for Arizona, so Kelenic will unsurprisingly head to the bench. Adam Duvall will start in left field and bat sixth.
Apr 4 2024Kelenic is 6-for-11 (.545) with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a 2:2 BB:K to begin the season. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 24-year-old has yet to get a plate appearance against a left-handed pitcher while platooning with Adam Duvall in left field for Atlanta, but Kelenic has been ripping the cover off the ball against righties. Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer credited the hot start to mechanical adjustments Kelenic made with his swing in training camp, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. "We quieted down all the hand movement," Seitzer said this week. "Then the last adjustment was him saying, 'I just want to bang the leg kick.' He goes, 'I'm trying to do too much, swinging too hard, my timing is not good.' He goes, 'I've done this before where I've just kind of spread out and gone just a little no-stride.' Well, his spread-out, no-stride has equated into a real small leg kick, and it's helped his position on his takes." Kelenic's simpler swing has allowed him to see the ball better as well as get to it quicker when he pulls the trigger -- while the sample size is tiny, his 21.2 percent whiff rate so far in 2024 would be a career low, even though his 52.4 percent swing rate would be a career high. While his fantasy ceiling is limited by his platoon role and the fact that he's batting ninth in a stacked Atlanta lineup, the sixth overall pick in the 2018 Draft could still be headed for a long-awaited breakout.
Apr 2 2024Kelenic isn't in Atlanta's lineup for Tuesday's game against the White Sox, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Left-handed starter Garrett Crochet will toe the slab for the White Sox on Tuesday, meaning the left-handed bat of Kelenic will retreat to the dugout. Adam Duvall will take over in left field and bat sixth.
Mar 31 2024Kelenic is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Atlanta will face its first left-handed starter of the season Sunday, so Kelenic will unsurprisingly head to the bench. He went 4-for-6 with a walk, two RBI and a caught stealing in the first two games of the season, which should help cement his strong-side platoon role. Adam Duvall will man left field and bat sixth versus Ranger Suarez.
Mar 29 2024Kelenic is starting in left field and batting ninth in Friday's season opener against the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 24-year-old will take his expected place at the bottom of Atlanta's lineup against right-handed pitching as Zack Wheeler starts Friday for Philadelphia. Kelenic struggled to a .432 OPS during spring training, though he finished strong with five hits, inlcuding a triple and a homer, in his final 14 at-bats. Adam Duvall is expected to take over in left field versus left-handed starters.
Mar 27 2024Kelenic hit a solo home run in his only at-bat during Tuesday's exhibition game against the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 24-year-old outfielder took Louie Varland deep in the third inning, giving Kelenic his first long ball of the spring. The Adam Duvall signing puts significant pressure on Kelenic to produce right away to begin the season, but after a slow start in camp while he made some swing adjustments, he went 5-for-14 over his final six spring games with a triple, Tuesday's homer and only one strikeout.
Mar 21 2024Kelenic went 2-for-3 with a run scored in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start in left field and batting ninth, Kelenic had his first multi-hit performance of the spring. The 24-year-old outfielder is batting just .111 (5-for-45) in Grapefruit League action with zero extra-base hits and a 4:12 BB:K, but four of his five hits have come since March 10. Kelenic was making some swing adjustments this spring, so a slow start is somewhat excusable, but Atlanta added Adam Duvall last week and the veteran represents a real threat to the former Mariner's playing time. Kelenic will open the season on the strong side of a platoon with Duvall in left field.
Mar 14 2024Atlanta plans to platoon Kelenic in left field with new signing Adam Duvall, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said at the start of camp that the plan was to play Kelenic every day in left field. However, with Kelenic going 3-for-34 so far this spring and Duvall being available on an inexpensive one-year contract, the club has reconsidered those plans. Kelenic could still provide fantasy value in a long-side platoon, but it's difficult to have a ton of confidence that it will happen.
Mar 11 2024Kelenic has gone 2-for-27 (.074) through his first 10 Grapefruit League games with zero extra-base hits and a 4:7 BB:K. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Acquired from Seattle in the offseason, Kelenic is expected to fill an everyday role for Atlanta in left field, but as yet the 24-year-old hasn't found a groove at the plate. Should his spring struggles extend into the regular season, he could lose playing time and even fall into a platoon, with Marcell Ozuna potentially getting starts in left field against left-handed pitching in Kelenic's place. As yet, however, Atlanta's coaching staff hasn't seemed concerned about his performance.
Feb 15 2024Atlanta president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Thursday that the team is leaning toward playing Kelenic every day in left field rather than platooning him, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This isn't terribly surprising to hear since Atlanta doesn't have an obvious platoon partner for Kelenic right now, but it's nonetheless encouraging for his fantasy prospects. The 24-year-old actually had a better OPS against lefties (.774) than he did versus righties (.738) in 2023, although in his career he has just a .566 OPS and 29.9 percent strikeout rate against southpaws. Atlanta feels that giving Kelenic regular work versus lefties will be the best way for him to improve.
Dec 3 2023Kelenic, Marco Gonzales and Evan White were traded from Seattle to Atlanta on Sunday in exchange for Cole Phillips (elbow) and Jackson Kowar, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was once regarded as the top prospect in baseball, but he struggled to consistently perform at the major-league level with the Mariners. Over portions of three seasons in Seattle, he slashed .204/.283/.373 with 32 home runs, 109 RBI, 105 runs and 24 steals over 252 games. However, he'll now get a chance for a fresh start in Atlanta as part of a move that was largely made by Seattle for financial purposes. Atlanta has a hole in left field, and the expectation is that Kelenic will start there against right-handed pitchers while Vaughn Grissom starts against southpaws, per David O'Brien of The Athletic.
Sep 30 2023Kelenic will hit the bench against lefty Andrew Heaney and the Rangers on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has started against just two of the eight lefties the Mariners have faced since he returned from a broken foot in mid-September. Dylan Moore will take over in left field in his absence.
Sep 28 2023Kelenic isn't in the Mariners' lineup Thursday against Texas. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic will be forced to the bench with fellow southpaw Jordan Montgomery on the mound for the Rangers. Dylan Moore, Julio Rodriguez and Teoscar Hernandez will start across the Mariners' outfield while Kelenic sits.
Sep 27 2023Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has only one extra-base hit (a double) in 43 plate appearances since returning Sept. 11 from a fractured left foot, though he has drawn eight walks. Dylan Moore, Julio Rodriguez and Teoscar Hernandez will start across the outfield for Seattle on Wednesday as Sam Haggerty occupies the DH role.
Sep 25 2023Kelenic went 1-for-4 with an RBI fielder's choice, a run-scoring single, a stolen base, a walk and a run in a loss to the Rangers on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 24-year-old's busy stat line had a bit of everything, including his 13th steal of the season. Kelenic's afternoon also included his second two-RBI tally over the last four starts, pushing his average and OPS to .286 and .766, respectively, in nine games since returning from an extended stint on the injured list due to a fractured foot.
Sep 23 2023Kelenic isn't starting Saturday versus Texas. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Jordan Montgomery will toe the slab for the Rangers on Saturday, so Kelenic and his career .570 OPS versus lefties will sit down for the start of the game. Sam Haggerty, Julio Rodriguez and Dylan Moore will start in the outfield from left to right Saturday.
Sep 20 2023Kelenic went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI singles in a win over the Athletics on Tuesday, marking his first two runs driven in since July 17. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A near-two-month stay on the injured list due to a fractured foot played a big part in the dry spell for Kelenic, who's now played five games since being activated. The outfielder has a pair of two-hit efforts in that span and has reached safely in three of those contests overall. Next up for Kelenic in terms of unfavorable streaks is a homerless drought that's now at an atypical 36 games and dates all the way back to June 9, when factoring in his time on the IL.
Sep 15 2023Kelenic (foot) went 2-for-3 with a walk in Friday's 6-3 loss to the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic had been battling a sore foot after fouling a ball off of it earlier in the week. He was one of three Mariners to get on base multiples times in this loss, and one of two with multiple hits. The outfielder is at a .254/.323/.437 slash line with 11 home runs, 45 RBI, 43 runs scored and 12 stolen bases through 92 contests. He should have a steady role in the corner outfield if he can avoid aggravating any previous injuries.
Sep 13 2023Kelenic is not in the lineup Wednesday due to a sore right foot, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic is still sore after fouling a ball off the foot Monday. Notably, it's not the same foot that he previously fractured. Kelenic is available off the bench Wednesday, although the Mariners would prefer to hold him out until this weekend following Thursday's off day.
Sep 12 2023Kelenic isn't in the Mariners' lineup Tuesday versus the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Southpaw Patrick Sandoval will start on the mound for Los Angeles, meaning the left-handed Kelenic will retreat to the bench to begin Tuesday's contest. Teoscar Hernandez will start in right field, and Sam Haggerty will serve as Seattle's DH while Kelenic sits.
Sep 11 2023Kelenic (foot) went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts in Monday's 8-5 extra-innings loss to the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic didn't do much in his first major-league action since July 19. Prior to the injury, he'd gone 15-for-56 (.268) over 15 contests in July. He was solid during his rehab at Triple-A Tacoma and should reclaim a regular role in the corner outfield going forward for the Mariners. Kelenic is at a .251/.319/.435 slash line with 11 home runs, 12 stolen bases, 45 RBI, 43 runs scored and a 32.7 percent strikeout rate across 91 contests this season.
Sep 10 2023Kelenic (foot) continued on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma throughout the weekend, going a combined 1-for-11 with a walk, two RBI and a run while playing full games on defense Friday and Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic played both corner outfield spots Friday night and right field on Saturday before logging a pair of plate appearances across five innings as the designated hitter Sunday. The abbreviated, offense-only duties may have been Kelenic's rehab assignment swan song, as he seemingly has nothing left to prove in terms of his health after 10 games on the farm. The Mariners are back home Monday following their East Coast swing, and Kelenic appears firmly headed toward activation, potentially ahead of the start of a three-game set against the Angels on Monday.
Sep 7 2023Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in an interview Thursday that Kelenic (foot) being activated from the 10-day injured list could happen "any day now," Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Dipoto also pointed out that the team is in Tampa Bay while Kelenic is across the country on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma, making the logistics of an activation this weekend difficult. The Mariners return to Seattle on Monday for the beginning of a homestand, which seems to be the most likely date for Kelenic to be activated. Kelenic is 9-for-21 with one home run, one stolen base and an 8:4 K:BB in his first six rehab games with Tacoma. He has been sidelined since mid-July with a fractured left foot.
Sep 6 2023Kelenic (foot) played a full game in right field for Triple-A Tacoma against Salt Lake on both Tuesday and Wednesday, going a combined 4-for-9 with three doubles, a solo home run, a walk and four runs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mariners have been insistent that Kelenic will have a lengthy rehab assignment, but a six-game stint in which he's now been able to play full games in the field on consecutive nights may be enough of a convincing case for activation. Not only does Kelenic's foot seem to be back to full strength, but his timing at the plate also appears to be in fine form. The Mariners begin a four-game road series against the Rays on Thursday, and it wouldn't be out of the question for Kelenic to be activated at some point in that span.
Sep 4 2023Kelenic (foot) opened Triple-A Tacoma's loss to Sugar Land on Sunday as the designated hitter and went 3-for-4 with a stolen base before being pinch hit for in the ninth inning. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's appearance Sunday was noteworthy on a couple of fronts -- not only was he able to suit up for a fourth consecutive game, but he was given the green light on the basepaths. The latter particularly seems to underscore that his previously injured foot is approaching or is already at full strength. The trio of singles was encouraging as well with respect to Kelenic's timing at the plate, and he's now 5-for-15 with an RBI, three walks and two runs over his first four games with the Rainiers.
Sep 3 2023Kelenic (foot) started in right field for the second consecutive night Saturday and played seven innings in Triple-A Tacoma's win over Sugar Land, going 1-for-3 with an RBI single and a walk. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Rainiers are giving Kelenic's previously ailing foot a stringent test early in his rehab assignment, as evidenced by his second consecutive contest on defense and the increase of his workload over Friday's by one inning. Offensively, Kelenic has reached safely in all three games with Tacoma thus far, so he appears to be making steady progress toward activation. Nevertheless, it's highly likely he remains on the farm for at least the first half of the coming week, given team brass has been clear they want to ensure Kelenic is back to full health for the stretch run and coming postseason.
Sep 2 2023Kelenic (foot) started in right field and played six innings in Triple-A Tacoma's win over Sugar Land on Friday, going 0-for-2 with a walk. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A night after making his rehab debut with a full game's worth of plate appearances as the designated hitter, Kelenic tested his foot out on defense with apparent success. It remains to be seen if the Rainiers give Kelenic a day off Saturday after back-to-back appearances, but it appears he might have a chance at putting in a full nine innings in the field in relatively short order.
Aug 31 2023Kelenic (foot) took a full game's worth of plate appearances as the designated hitter in Triple-A Tacoma's win over Sugar Land on Thursday, going 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was productive in his first taste of game action since July 19, and the fact he was able to log a full allotment of plate appearances while also making two full trips around the bases seems to speak to the improving condition of his previously ailing foot. The Mariners have committed to ensuring Kelenic is back to full strength and has regained his timing at the plate before activation is considered, but initial results are certainly encouraging. The talented outfielder is likely due to next log at least a partial game on defense with respect to the following benchmark in his recovery.
Aug 25 2023Kelenic (foot) is set to begin a rehab assignment early next week with Triple-A Tacoma, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic got out of his walking boot a week ago and has increased his level of activity without issue over the last handful of days. He's likely to need a lengthy rehab stint, with some DH days mixed into his outfield work, but the 24-year-old appears on track to return to the Mariners in the early part of September. He suffered a fractured left foot when he kicked a water cooler back on July 19.
Aug 17 2023Kelenic had the walking boot from his fractured left foot removed Wednesday and resumed some baseball activities, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He's right at the four-week mark of what was expected to be a 4-to-6 week period of wearing the boot, so Kelenic looks to be progressing nicely in his recovery. Kelenic will continue to ramp things back up at the Mariners' spring training complex in Arizona before eventually going out on a rehab assignment. The club remains optimistic that he'll be ready to return in early September.
Jul 31 2023Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said July 22 that Kelenic (foot) is expected to be confined to a walking boot for a total of 4-to-6 weeks and is unlikely to return from the 10-day injured list until early September, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was placed on the injured list July 20 after he suffered a fractured left foot when he kicked a water cooler out of frustration a day earlier following a strikeout in a game against the Twins. He's now been donning a boot for nearly two weeks and looks like he could remain idle for most of August before he's able to resume full baseball activities. A firmer timeline for Kelenic's return from the IL should come into focus once he sheds the boot, but the 54-51 Mariners may not be motivated to have the 24-year-old outfielder rush back if the team is well removed from wild-card contention heading into the final month of the season.
Jul 20 2023Kelenic was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a fractured left foot. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Per Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, Kelenic suffered the injury when he kicked a water cooler following a strikeout in Wednesday's loss to the Twins. No timetable has been provided, but it's certainly an injury which is likely to force Kelenic to the sideline for multiple weeks. Cade Marlowe has replaced him on the roster and is getting the start in left field Thursday in his major-league debut. Along with Marlowe, AJ Pollock and Dylan Moore could see action in the outfield for the Mariners while Kelenic is out.
Jul 17 2023Kelenic went 2-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's 7-6 win over the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has hit safely in five straight games, plating six runs in that span. The outfielder also picked up his first steal in July, which was his 12th theft of the year. He started the year well but slumped in June, though he appears to be turning things around again. Overall, Kelenic has a .252/.322/.443 slash line with 11 home runs, 12 steals, 45 RBI and 41 runs scored through 88 games.
Jul 10 2023Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in a win over the Astros on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's clutch two-bagger in the fourth inning plated Ty France and Teoscar Hernandez to extend the Mariners' lead to 3-0. Kelenic managed to hit safely in seven of his last 10 games going into the All-Star break, but his persistent contact issues -- he struck out at a 32.5 percent clip during that same span --threaten to continue capping his average and on-base percentage in the second half of the season.
Jul 8 2023Kelenic will hit the bench against lefty Framber Valdez and the Astros on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has actually produced stronger results against lefties (136 wRC+) than against righties (105 wRC+) this season, though the former number comes in just 77 plate appearances. The Mariners have been reluctant to use him against same-sided pitching recently, however, as he's sat against three of the last four lefties Seattle has faced. AJ Pollock starts in left field Saturday.
Jul 1 2023Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run in a loss to the Rays on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic came home on J.P. Crawford's second-inning single, and he added his 11th steal of the season after reaching on a fielder's choice in the sixth. Despite the somewhat eventful night Friday, Kelenic's offensive fade following a hot start continues -- he finished June with an abysmal .173 average and .588 OPS while striking out in 37.4 percent of his 91 plate appearances and recording only five extra-base hits. Nevertheless, his starting left field spot doesn't appear to be in any imminent danger, considering veteran AJ Pollock has been a shadow of himself at the plate this season with a .155/.215/.291 slash line.
Jun 28 2023Kelenic is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Dylan Moore, Julio Rodriguez and Teoscar Hernandez will start across the outfield as the Mariners face off against the Nats and left-hander Patrick Corbin. The left-handed-hitting Kelenic has actually fared very well versus southpaws this year, but he'll take a seat in Wednesday's matinee game at T-Mobile Park.
Jun 27 2023Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs in a win over the Nationals on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic hit the double-digit steal mark for the first time in his big-league career with his fifth-inning swipe after a walk. The versatile outfielder has reached safely in seven of his last eight games while also recording six RBI, but he has just a .179 average over that span thanks in large part to a 32.4 percent strikeout rate.
Jun 25 2023Kelenic went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in an extra-inning loss to the Orioles on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic made good use of his one trip on the basepaths with his first steal since June 13. The outfielder also went without a strikeout for only the second time in the last nine games, an especially welcome sight considering he was coming off back-to-back three-strikeout tallies. Kelenic's 34.6 percent strikeout rate across the last 12 games has helped lead to him going just 7-for-44 with three extra-base hits (two doubles, one triple) over that span, resulting in a 19-point drop in batting average to .251.
Jun 21 2023Kelenic went 1-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk in a loss to the Yankees on Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's sixth-inning two-bagger, his first since June 10 but second extra-base hit in as many games, plated Ty France for Seattle's only run of the night. The 23-year-old's current .259/.330/.481 slash line is exponentially better than those he put up during his stints with the Mariners in the previous two seasons, but Kelenic's 32.6 percent strikeout rate confirms his biggest issue in the majors continues to plague him.
Jun 18 2023Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a three-run triple in Sunday's win over the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts before drilling a bases-clearing triple in the eighth inning. He picked up his first extra-base hit since June 10 and is now slashing .258/.327/.479 with 32 RBI and 29 extra-base hits through 66 games. However, he's gone just 12-for-71 (.169) over his last 20 games and owns a 33.1 percent strikeout rate on the year.
Jun 14 2023Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs in a win over the Marlins on Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The talented outfielder's steal was his first since May 29, and he's now reached safely in five straight games. While he's cooled off at the plate recently compared to earlier in the year -- Kelenic is hitting just .171 over his last 10 games -- he maintains a favorable .265 average and .823 OPS for the season while boasting career highs in multiple categories.
Jun 12 2023Kelenic is not in the starting lineup Monday versus Miami. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic will get a breather as the Mariners take on left-hander Jesus Luzardo and the Marlins on Monday. Dylan Moore will draw the start in left field and bat seventh in the series opener.
Jun 9 2023Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic opened the scoring with his first-inning blast, snapping a 13-game homer drought. He's faded a little bit to start June, going 4-for-20 (.200) over his first six games this month. The outfielder is still enjoying solid production from the heart of the order with a .270/.333/.502 slash line, 11 homers, 29 RBI, 28 runs scored and seven stolen bases over 59 contests.
Jun 8 2023Kelenic went 2-for-4 with a double in Wednesday's 10-3 loss against San Diego. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic had gone just 1-for-17 with 11 strikeouts over his previous five games. His fifth-inning double was his first extra-base hit since May 28. Overall, Kelenic is still slashing a solid .269/.330/.491 with 10 homers, 27 runs scored, 27 RBI and seven steals through 233 plate appearances this season. However, he's batting just .163 (7-for-43) with a .498 OPS and a concerning 46.9 percent strikeout rate over his last 12 games.
Jun 7 2023Kelenic is hitting sixth and playing left field versus the Padres on Wednesday, Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has been hitting third or fourth for the majority of the season after his breakout April, but the 23-year-old has just one hit over his last 17 at-bats since May 31 and he's struck out 11 times over those five contests. Cal Raleigh moves up to the cleanup spot for Wednesday's contest with Teoscar Hernandez hitting fifth.
May 30 2023Kelenic isn't starting Tuesday against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic holds just a .586 OPS against lefties since 2021, so it's not much of a surprise to see him retreat to the bench against Nestor Cortes. AJ Pollock will take Kelenic's place in left field and bat fifth Tuesday.
May 29 2023Kelenic went 1-for-3 with an RBI double, two walks and a run in an extra-inning win over the Pirates on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic extended the Mariners' lead to 3-1 in the fifth with his timely two-bagger and subsequently came home on Eugenio Suarez's game-winning home run in the 10th frame. It was Kelenic's second straight game with a double after a brief 1-for-15 skid in the prior four contests. Although he's encouragingly upped his exit velocity (86.0 percent to 91.2 percent) and hard-contact rates (31.1 percent to 34.4 percent) over last season, Kelenic is still carrying a bloated 30.7 percent strikeout rate and 30.8 percent chase rate.
May 22 2023Kelenic went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, three RBI and two runs scored in Monday's 11-2 win over the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic pummeled his 10th homer of the year off Kyle Muller in the first inning, and he added an RBI single in the fifth. During a five-game hitting streak, Kelenic has gone 8-for-20 (.400) with two homers, four RBI and six runs scored. The outfielder is slashing .297/.350/.564 with 25 RBI, 25 runs scored, six stolen bases, 12 doubles and a triple through 45 contests in what looks to be a breakout season.
May 15 2023Kelenic went 2-for-5 with three runs, an RBI and a stolen base against the Red Sox in a 10-1 win Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic scored each of the three times he reached base, and he stole his sixth bag of the season in the sixth inning. He has knocked in at least one run in four of his past five contests, with the exception coming Sunday when he was limited to pinch-hitting duties. Kelenic is finally living up to his vast potential this season, posting a .291/.340/.553 slash line with eight homers, 19 runs and 21 RBI over 153 plate appearances.
May 14 2023Kelenic is out of the starting lineup for Sunday's contest against the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic will get his first day off in the month of May after hitting a two-run homer in the 5-0 win for the Mariners on Saturday. Sam Haggerty will get the start in left field against Joey Wentz and the Tigers.
May 11 2023Kelenic went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple in a loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's eighth-inning three-bagger plated Jose Caballero to bring the Mariners to within one run, and it served as the 23-year-old's first triple of the season. Kelenic has now reached safely in 12 of his last 13 games, but the multi-hit effort was his first since April 28. Meanwhile, the talented outfielder is sitting on an outstanding .563 slugging percentage through 138 plate appearances thanks in large part to having already garnered extra bases on 19 of his 37 hits.
May 3 2023Kelenic went 1-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk in a win over the Athletics on Tuesday. He was also caught stealing on his only attempt. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's eighth-inning two-bagger brought home Jose Caballero with what turned out to be the game-winning run. Kelenic's 27.6 percent strikeout rate certainly has room for improvement, but he's looked like an exponentially more confident player thus far this season compared to his first two big-league stints in 2021 and 2022 while generating a .309/.371/.617 slash line across 105 plate appearances.
Apr 29 2023Kelenic went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 23-year-old continues to enjoy a breakout April. Kelenic has three multi-hit performances in the last six games, and through 92 plate appearances on the season he's slashing .325/.380/.663 with seven homers, five steals, 12 runs and 14 RBI.
Apr 28 2023Kelenic is starting in left field and batting third for the Mariners in Friday's game in Toronto, Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's the second game in a row versus a right-hander that we've seen Kelenic in the three spot. He had mostly been batting sixth previously. Kelenic is sporting a robust 1.046 OPS with seven home runs in his first 88 plate appearances this season.
Apr 5 2023Kelenic is hitting eighth and playing left field in Wednesday's game against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic sat out the last two games with left-handers on the mound, but he's back in the lineup against Shohei Ohtani for Wednesday's series finale. The 23-year-old has gone 2-for-13 in his first four games with a stolen base and a .445 OPS.
Apr 4 2023Kelenic is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic once again sits with left-hander Jose Suarez on the mound for Tuesday's contest against the Angels. AJ Pollock gets the start in left and is hitting sixth.
Mar 31 2023Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a single and a stolen base in Thursday's 3-0 victory over the Guardians. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic reached on an infield single in the fifth inning and then stole second base with ease. While it was his lone hit of the night, he did have a 103.5 mph flyout that had an xBA of .800. Kelenic dealt with a minor quad issue late in spring training, so it's a good sign that he's feeling well enough to contribute in the running game.
Mar 20 2023Kelenic was removed from Monday's Cactus League contest versus the Brewers due to minor quad tightness, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic struck out in his only plate appearance Monday and was then pinch hit for because of the injury. The "minor" designation suggestion that it's a day-to-day situation, but Kelenic surely won't return before he's 100 percent. He's clubbed four homers and stolen three bases this spring.
Mar 19 2023Kelenic went 2-for-3 with his second triple of spring training in Sunday's loss to the Rangers, raising his Cactus League average to .421 over 40 plate appearances. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's spring batting line includes two doubles, four home runs and nine RBI in addition to the pair of three-baggers, and he's also struck out at a 20.0 percent clip. The latter number may be almost as encouraging as the others, considering making consistent contact at the big-league level proved extremely elusive for Kelenic over his first two Mariners stints in 2021 and 2022, as evidenced by the 29.7 percent strikeout rate he mustered in that span. However, his highly promising talent has typically remained prominently on display at Triple-A Tacoma during parts of those same seasons, where Kelenic has looked like a much more confident hitter and produced impressively modest 15.4 and 20.8 percent strikeout rates in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Mar 2 2023Kelenic is hitting .364 (4-for-11) with three home runs and four RBI in his first four Cactus League games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After going 0-for-2 in the Mariners' exhibition opener against the Padres on Friday, Kelenic has gone deep in two of the next three Cactus League contests, including a two-homer effort versus the Royals on Sunday. The 23-year-old put together a worrisome body of work at the big-league level for the second time in as many seasons in 2022, but he's consistently thrived at Triple-A Tacoma and is certainly off to an encouraging start ahead of what could be a pivotal year for his future in the organization.
Oct 13 2022Kelenic is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Seattle's ALDS matchup with Houston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic went 2-for-4 in Game 1 of the series, but he will be subbed out in favor of Dylan Moore with the Mariners facing southpaw Framber Valdez on Thursday.
Oct 7 2022Kelenic (soreness) is starting in left field and batting seventh in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Blue Jays on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was held out of Wednesday's regular-season finale due to some soreness after a hit-by-pitch a day earlier, but he's ready to play Friday in the Mariners' first playoff game since 2001. The 23-year-old appeared in 14 games since his latest promotion to the big leagues Sept. 22, and he posted a .180/.293/.420 slash line with three home runs, three doubles, five RBI and eight runs during that stretch.
Oct 5 2022Kelenic was scratched from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers after experiencing soreness from being hit by a pitch in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic proceeded to play in the second game of the twin bill and was on track to start in the regular-season finale, but manager Scott Servais ultimately decided to exercise caution with the young outfielder and pulled him out of the lineup. Servais noted that Kelenic is expected to be fine for the Mariners' wild-card series with Toronto this weekend, when the 23-year-old could find himself in a regular role in the outfield after Jesse Winker (neck) was moved to the injured list Wednesday. Taylor Trammell was called up from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move and will spell Winker in left field Wednesday.
Sep 29 2022Kelenic went 2-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Rangers in extra innings. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has made the most of his last week, going 8-for-27 (.296) with three long balls, five RBI and seven runs scored across seven games. He went deep in the fourth and sixth innings to establish a three-run lead for the Mariners, though it didn't hold up in the end. Kelenic's season line is still at .157/.222/.357 with seven homers, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored and five stolen bases through 153 plate appearances, but the recent returns are encouraging. His run as the Mariners' everyday center fielder will likely end when Julio Rodriguez (back) is activated from the injured list, but the hot bat could help Kelenic force his way into the lineup in left field or at designated hitter.
Sep 22 2022Kelenic went 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, two runs scored, two RBI and a walk in a 9-5 win Thursday in Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In his first game with Seattle since being demoted Aug. 10, Kelenic announced his presence with a walk, a homer and a double in his first three plate appearances. It was just his third multi-hit game in 32 starts for the Mariners this season. Seattle will hope that Kelenic's big game is a sign of things to come as he has little left to prove at Triple-A but a lot to do to earn a starting role in the majors.
Sep 21 2022Kelenic was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 23-year-old was passed up for a promotion when big-league rosters expanded to 28 players at the start of September, but he'll join the Mariners for the last couple weeks of the regular season. Kelenic has appeared in 40 MLB games this year and has a .124/.187/.265 slash line and 38.2 percent strikeout rate, though in his latest stint in the minors he cut his strikeout rate to 15.8 percent and also posted a .950 OPS in 33 games. Whether or not he can transfer that success to the big leagues this time around remains to be seen, but he'll get a look down the stretch for Seattle.
Sep 1 2022Kelenic, who owns a .244 average and .784 OPS across his last 12 games at Triple-A Tacoma, was passed over for a Sept. 1 promotion to the Mariners in favor of fellow outfielder Taylor Trammell. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has become quite the conundrum for the Mariners as a once can't-miss prospect that's produced little outside some serviceable power numbers at the big-league level over his first 133 games. The 23-year-old has been in a solid offensive groove since his latest demotion to the Rainiers on Aug. 11 -- even his aforementioned .244 average since Aug. 17 is accompanied by an encouraging .340 on-base percentage, .444 slugging percentage, 11.3 percent walk rate and modest 17.0 percent strikeout rate. The latter two metrics are particularly relevant for Kelenic, as they constitute just the type of BB/K ratio the organization would want to see become the norm for him, but one he hasn't come close to generating when facing major-league arms.
Aug 17 2022Kelenic owns a .318/.400/.591 slash line with a 12.0 percent walk rate and 16.0 percent strikeout rate across the 27 plate appearances he's logged in his first six games back with Triple-A Tacoma. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's fair to wonder how much of Kelenic's struggles in the big-league batter's box are mental at this point, as he seems to flip a switch for the better whenever he goes back to facing Triple-A arms. Kelenic's sample in his current Rainiers stint already includes three doubles and one home run, and he's back to making consistent contact after striking out at a massive 40.7 percent clip while hitting just .074 during his recent 10-game tenure with the Mariners. Given that Kelenic had also put together impressive numbers over an extended period with Tacoma before that ill-fated promotion, the organization may opt to have the 23-year-old ply his trade at the Triple-A level for the remainder of the minor-league season in an attempt to continue building his confidence.
Aug 11 2022Kelenic was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was recalled by the Mariners on July 31, though he hit just .074 with two RBI and two runs scored across 27 plate appearances since. It's too early to write off the former top prospect, but Kelenic has hit just .167/.246/.329 across his first 500 plate appearances at the big-league level. Julio Rodriguez (wrist) was activated from the injured list in the corresponding move.
Aug 8 2022Kelenic is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The player Kelenic has been sharing playing time with, Sam Haggerty, racked up two doubles and four hits in all over the last two games, and manager Scott Servais will lean on the hot hand Monday night.
Aug 6 2022Kelenic is not in the lineup for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mariners have faced two lefties since Kelenic was recalled July 31, and he has opened on the bench in both instances. Sam Haggerty will get the nod in center field Saturday night.
Aug 5 2022Kelenic is not in Friday's lineup against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic is 1-for-13 with five strikeouts and zero walks over four games in this latest stint with the big club, but at least the one hit was a home run. Sam Haggerty will start in center field and hit ninth.
Aug 4 2022Kelenic, who hit a two-run home run in four plate appearances during Wednesday's win over the Yankees, has only that hit and five strikeouts across the first 13 plate appearances of his current big-league stint. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Mariners brass and fantasy managers alike are undoubtedly keeping a close eye on Kelenic's contact rate, considering his poor showing in that category was a major culprit in his May demotion to Triple-A Tacoma. The 23-year-old went on to show notable improvement across the board at the plate during his two-month-plus stint with the Rainiers, but the fact he's struck out at least once in each of his first four games back in the big leagues is at least somewhat worrisome given his prior body of work.
Aug 1 2022Kelenic is in the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has not started a game for the Mariners since May 10, but that streak will come to a close Monday, as he will start in center field and hit eighth against Yankees starter Domingo German.
Jul 31 2022The Mariners recalled Kelenic from Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. He won't start in the Mariners' series finale versus the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has been busy getting his mechanics at the plate straightened out at Triple-A since mid-May, producing an impressive .289/.355/.551 slash line with 34 extra-base hits (20 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs) and 37 RBI across 248 plate appearances. The production is in stark contrast to the .140/.219/.291 line Kelenic generated with the Mariners over 30 games before being demoted, and the 23-year-old cut his strikeout rate to a much more palatable 23.8 percent during his time on the farm after going down on strikes at a 37.5 percent clip during his time with the big-league club. Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports that Kelenic isn't likely to arrive in Houston until shortly before Sunday's 2:10 p.m. ET first pitch, meaning it's likely he's only available in a pinch-hit capacity for the series finale against the Astros.
Jul 13 2022Kelenic has hit .368 with one double, two triples, three home runs, nine RBI, five walks and seven runs over the 24 plate appearances he's logged in the last five games with Triple-A Tacoma. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The quest to get Kelenic right at the plate at the Triple-A level before having the prized prospect return to the majors appears to be an unqualified success at this point, as the 22-year-old is now boasting a .298 average and .966 OPS overall during his 42 games with the Rainiers. Moreover, what was previously a key missing piece in Kelenic's offensive profile -- a more patient approach at the plate coupled with a higher contact rate -- appears to be manifesting, as he's sporting an elite 18.2 percent walk rate and minuscule 12.1 percent strikeout rate across his last seven games (33 plate appearances).
Jun 30 2022Kelenic is hitting .387 (12-for-31) with three doubles, two home runs, nine RBI, a walk and four runs across his last six games with Triple-A Tacoma. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's another highly encouraging minor-league stretch for Kelenic, who's now slashing .297/.340/.565 with 20 extra-base hits and 24 RBI over 147 plate appearances overall with the Rainiers. Despite the vastly improved performance compared to his dismal big-league stint earlier in the season, the Mariners appear intent on sticking to their guns with respect to ensuring Kelenic displays improvement in certain areas before summoning him back to the big leagues. In response to Taylor Trammell hitting the injured list due to a hamstring issue Wednesday, the team promoted Marcus Wilson instead of Kelenic, who still sports a problematic 5.4 percent walk rate and 27.9 percent strikeout rate against Triple-A arms.
Jun 21 2022Kelenic recently missed five days at Triple-A Tacoma with a hamstring strain, but he returned to action Thursday, Brent Stecker of 710 ESPN Seattle reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 22-year-old has cooled off at the plate after a recent hot streak, hitting just .150 (3-for-20) over his last six games. Stecker notes Kelenic continues to struggle with consistent contact despite facing a lower level of competition in Tacoma, as he's struck out 34 times in 24 games with the Rainiers. Consequently, it may take an improvement in that area over an extended stretch before Kelenic returns to the big-league club.
May 30 2022Kelenic went 3-for-5 with an RBI single, a run-scoring ground-rule double, a three-run home run and an additional run in Triple-A Tacoma's loss to Las Vegas on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This is exactly the type of all-around domination of opposing pitchers that Kelenic had made the norm during the pre-big-league-debut portion of his minors career, one that set the type of expectations the prized prospect has frustratingly fallen short of at the highest level thus far. Nevertheless, the 22-year-old offered plenty of reason for optimism with his performance against the Aviators over the just-concluded five-game series, as Sunday's performance was preceded by a 4-for-4 tally Saturday that included a triple and a solo home run and he also hit safely in each of first three games of the extended set.
May 27 2022Kelenic is hitting .286 (8-for-28) with two doubles, a home run, three RBI, four walks and a steal across his last seven games with Triple-A Tacoma. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: They're not otherworldly numbers by any stretch, but at least Kelenic has picked up the pace by a good margin after going 1-for-9 over his first two games following his demotion. However, one troubling trend that continues to haunt Kelenic and harkens back to his pair of very difficult major-league stints is an inability to make consistent contact -- even during his current encouraging stretch, he's sporting a massive 34.4 percent strikeout rate.
May 19 2022Kelenic, who was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Friday, is 1-for-9 with six strikeouts over his first two games with the Rainiers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's naturally a very small sample, but it's undoubtedly worrisome that Kelenic is already struggling with making consistent contact at a level below the minors. The 22-year-old has dominated at the Triple-A level in the past, however, and given his pedigree, he should be able to boost his numbers up over time while endeavoring to eventually get back to the big leagues.
May 13 2022Kelenic was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mariners are short-handed in the outfield with Kyle Lewis (knee) still on the 10-day injured list, but they'll send Kelenic to the minors following his slow start to 2022. Over 30 games, the 22-year-old slashed .140/.219/.291 with three homers, 10 runs, 10 RBI and four stolen bases. Kelenic was regarded as one of the Mariners' top prospects prior to making his major-league debut in 2021, but he's largely struggled against the top level of competition. He'll attempt to sort things out at Tacoma, while Dylan Moore and Steven Souza should compete for playing time in right field following Kelenic's demotion.
May 11 2022Kelenic isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic started in the last four games and went 2-for-13 with two runs, a stolen base, a walk and five strikeouts. Dylan Moore is starting in right field and batting eighth.
May 6 2022Kelenic hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer in Friday's 8-7 loss to the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic came in to bat for Dylan Moore in the eighth inning and drilled a 400-foot homer off Ryan Thompson to briefly put the Mariners in the lead. The 22-year-old outfielder was stuck in a 1-for-23 slump over his last 10 outings and wasn't in Seattle's starting lineup for the last two games. His third long ball of the year bumped his slash line to .139/.222/.319 through 81 plate appearances.
May 5 2022Kelenic is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic started the past four games and will take a seat after going 0-for-10 with two walks and three strikeouts during that stretch. Dylan Moore will start in right field against Tampa Bay lefty Shane McClanahan.
Apr 30 2022Kelenic isn't starting Saturday against the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Even though Mitch Haniger (ankle) is out of the lineup Saturday, Kelenic will get a breather after he went 1-for-8 with a double, two runs, an RBI, a walk and five strikeouts over his last three appearances. Jesse Winker will start in left field while Luis Torrens serves as the designated hitter.
Apr 26 2022Kelenic is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Rays are deploying a lefty (Josh Fleming) as their primary pitcher, so the lefty-hitting Kelenic will take a seat amid his ongoing slide at the plate. Dylan Moore will pick up a start in right field in place of Kelenic, who has gone 2-for-19 with 11 strikeouts over his last five starts.
Apr 24 2022Kelenic went 1-for-5 with an RBI single, a run and a stolen base in a win over the Royals on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's day certainly started off positively enough, as he singled home Tom Murphy in the second inning and subsequently recorded his second stolen base of the season. However, matters went downhill from there, as he also struck out in three of his remaining four trips to the plate. The 22-year-old has reached safely in five of the last six games, but his .167/.226/.354 slash line and 37.7 percent strikeout rate through 53 plate appearances are ongoing cause for concern.
Apr 21 2022Kelenic isn't starting Thursday's game against the Rangers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has yet to start against a left-handed pitcher this season, and he'll get a breather with southpaw Taylor Hearn on the mound for the Rangers. Dylan Moore will start in right field and bat ninth.
Apr 20 2022Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a win over the Rangers on Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic continued to show some encouraging signs at the plate Tuesday, as he's now 3-for-8 with a double, the homer and three runs overall in his last two games. The 22-year-old is still held in very high regard by the organization, but fantasy managers are undoubtedly hoping he'll continue to find his stride in the majors after slashing .181/.263/.354 with a 28.3 percent strikeout rate across his first 103 big-league games.
Apr 18 2022Kelenic went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs in a win over the Astros on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic put together his second multi-hit effort in the last four games and laced his first two-bagger of the campaign in the process. The 22-year-old continues to struggle more often than not against big-league arms, but he's at least struck out just twice in 15 plate appearances following a nightmarish day against the White Sox on Tuesday where he racked up four punchouts in as many trips to the plate.
Apr 14 2022Kelenic went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run during Thursday's 5-1 win over the White Sox. He didn't walk or strikeout. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After a two-out walk to Eugenio Suarez, Kelenic ripped a two-run homer in the top of the second inning to open the scoring. The rookie phenom followed up his first career home run with a single in the eighth, registering his first career two-hit game. The breakout performance is a welcome sight after Kelenic started the season 1-for-17.
Apr 13 2022Kelenic is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Along with Kelenic, fellow lefty-hitting regulars Jesse Winker and Adam Frazier will head to the bench with Chicago bringing southpaw Dallas Keuchel to the hill. Kelenic is off to a 1-for-15 start to the season and could end up finding himself out of the lineup against southpaws more frequently until he turns a corner at the plate.
Apr 11 2022Kelenic will sit for the first time this season Monday against the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic started the first three games of the year, going 1-for-11 with five strikeouts and a steal. He'll get a rest Monday even with righty Dylan Bundy on the mound for Minnesota. Jesse Winker will be the left fielder, with Adam Frazier resting his legs as the designated hitter.
Apr 9 2022Kelenic went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in a 4-3 win Saturday in Minnesota. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic reached on a fielder's choice and stole second in the second inning. In the sixth, he walked but was picked off first base by Caleb Thielbar. Kelenic started in left field and batted sixth Saturday. Following a solid spring where he slugged .559, the 22-year-old has hit sixth in the Mariners' lineup in both games this season.
Apr 6 2022Kelenic went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in a Cactus League loss to the Reds on Tuesday, his third straight game with a round tripper. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's fantasy managers will hope that the blistering bat carries over into the regular season and is a sign the elite prospect has got a better handle on big-league arms after struggling during his rookie 2021 campaign. The 22-year-old's impressive late-spring surge pushed his final Cactus League average to .265 over 13 exhibitions.
Apr 3 2022Kelenic went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in a Cactus League win over the Royals on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The successful afternoon was a much-needed one for Kelenic, who'd entered the day hitting just .185 (5-for-27) this spring. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports that what made the performance even more encouraging for Kelenic was that both his hits came off southpaws Daniel Lynch and Amir Garrett, noteworthy considering left-handers held the 22-year-old to a .490 OPS last season. Despite Kelenic's uninspiring numbers during Cactus League play, manager Scott Servais is impressed with where the promising outfielder is in his development. "Jarred has been in a good spot all spring," Servais said. "He doesn't have a ton of hits, but his at-bats have been really good."
Mar 29 2022Kelenic, who went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in a Cactus League loss to the Royals on Tuesday, is hitting .158 (3-for-19) with a double, an RBI and a run across seven exhibitions. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic may be on the verge of snapping out of his funk, as he's hit safely in three of his last four games after opening Cactus League play with an 0-for-7 tally across his first three games. The high-upside 22-year-old got a mostly rude introduction to big-league pitching last season, as he produced a .181/.265/.350 line across 377 plate appearances. However, Kelenic did slug 14 home runs among his 28 extra-base hits, and given his pedigree, it's expected the valuable reps he logged last season will pay significant dividends in 2022.
Mar 24 2022Kelenic (illness) will bat eighth and play center field Thursday against the Guardians. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was scratched Tuesday against the Cubs due to illness, but there was little indication the issue would keep him out long. He still has plenty of time to get up to speed by the start of the regular season.
Mar 22 2022Kelenic was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Cubs due to illness, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: There's been no indication that Kelenic is dealing with COVID-19. At this point, there is little reason to believe his preparation for the upcoming season will be meaningfully affected.
Oct 4 2021Kelenic went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a run in a loss to the Angels on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was able to generate one more encouraging effort to head into the offseason with, driving in his fourth run over the last four games on a second-inning single in the process. The multi-hit effort was also Kelenic's third in the last seven contests, a stretch during which he hit .333 with two doubles, a home run, five RBI, three walks, a hit by pitch and five runs. The 22-year-old naturally projects to play a prominent role in the team's 2022 plans, although he'll be tasked with making more consistent contact after posting a 28.1 percent strikeout rate across his first 377 big-league plate appearances.
Oct 2 2021Kelenic went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in a loss to the Angels on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mariners significantly hurt their chances at an AL wild-card spot with the untimely defeat, but Kelenic did his part by contributing the only run of the night for Seattle. The rookie's penchant for timely hits has been a bright spot in an otherwise difficult campaign for Kelenic, as he carries an unsightly .178/.260/.350 slash line into the final two games of the regular season.
Sep 30 2021Kelenic, who went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in a win over the Athletics on Wednesday, is hitting .300 (6-for-20) with a pair of two-baggers, two home runs and eight RBI with men on base over his last 12 games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's sudden knack for timely hitting is one of the bright spots he can take into the offseason after his first pair of major-league stints fell considerably short of the expectations he'd built up during a stellar minor-league career. Kelenic has managed to accrue 41 RBI overall on only 58 hits across his first 90 games, with the fact 27 of those knocks have gone for extra bases certainly helping to boost his run production.
Sep 26 2021Kelenic went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a strikeout in a 5-1 win over the Angels on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic singled in the fifth inning and tied the game at 1-1 with a homer off Shohei Ohtani in the seventh. The long ball continued a September power binge for the rookie, who now has seven home runs, one triple and four doubles this month on 20 total hits.
Sep 20 2021Kelenic went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, two doubles, a walk, three RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 7-1 win over the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic continued his strong month of September with an exceptional performance at the plate in Sunday's victory. He doubled in two runs his first time up and doubled and scored in the fifth. He also homered to straightaway center to lead off the third in what was his second game of the year with three extra-base hits. It's not surprising that a guy with Kelenic's talent has finally started to figure things out with the bat. It's just unfortunate that there's not much time left in the season to see if he could sustain the production. In September, the 21-year-old is slashing .283/.348/.650 with six homers, 15 RBI, 12 runs scored, two steals and 6:18 BB:K over 16 games. After such a rough go to kick off his major league career, it's nice to see Kelenic ending things on a high note.
Sep 18 2021Kelenic went 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run home runs in a win over the Royals on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic took Royals starter Jon Beasley deep in both the second and fourth innings as he had his long-awaited breakout performance. The rookie has had a rougher landing than expected at the big-league level, but there have been undeniable signs of life in his bat during September. Factoring in Friday's production, Kelenic has left the yard on five occasions during the month on his way to 12 RBI, and he's posted a .267 average and .700 slugging percentage over the 32 PA he logged in his last eight contests.
Sep 16 2021Kelenic went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in Wednesday's 9-4 extra-inning loss to the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The rookie is having a little more offensive success in September, slashing .235/.278/.451 with three homers, two steals, eight runs and eight RBI through 13 games, but his 3:16 BB:K remains an issue. Kelenic has fallen well short of expectations this year, but if he can rein in the strikeouts, the 22-year-old could easily break out in 2022.
Sep 12 2021Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic slammed a two-run homer off J.B. Wendelken in the ninth inning to bring the Mariners within one run. The rookie is starting to showcase his power more frequently, hitting bombs in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. On the season, he is slashing .166/.246/.310 with 10 home runs, 31 RBI, 28 runs and four steals in 301 plate appearances.
Sep 9 2021Kelenic, who went 2-for-4 with a two-run double, a walk and a run in a win over the Astros on Wednesday, is hitting .269 over his last six games overall. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While that figure doesn't necessarily jump off the page, it represents some long-awaited improvement for Kelenic, whose undeniably elite skills haven't translated well to the big-league ranks thus far. The rookie still possesses an abysmal .165/.245/.291 slash line for the season, but his 17 extra-base hits (nine doubles, eight home runs) have helped lead to a serviceable 28 RBI over 71 games.
Sep 3 2021Kelenic went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Friday's 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic homered off Madison Bumgarner in the sixth inning, extending Seattle's lead to four runs. In addition, he drove in Kyle Seager for the winning run in the top of the 10th inning. The rookie seems to be hitting more consistently lately with at least one hit in seven of his last 10 games. However, he is still slashing just .158/.240/.288 with eight long balls, 26 RBI, 23 runs and four steals in 267 plate appearances this season.
Sep 2 2021Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Wednesday's 1-0 win over the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic struck out his first two times up but notched a single in the seventh and ended up stealing second for his fourth steal of the year. The 21-year-old has yet to put it together offensively during his second stint at the major-league level, as he's slashing .184/.265/.316 with five homers, 17 RBI, 15 runs scored and 16:53 BB:K over 42 games since being promoted July 16.
Aug 29 2021Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic took Brady Singer deep in the sixth inning for his seventh homer of the season. The rookie has shown small bursts of elite talent at times, but has struggled in his first year in MLB. He is slashing .156/.243/.281 with seven long balls, 23 RBI, 22 runs and three steals in 251 plate appearances.
Aug 27 2021Kelenic is 4-for-12 with a double, two RBI and a run over his last three games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While the sample size is very small, Kelenic and his fantasy managers will take every bit of good news they can get right now from the highly touted prospect, who's been almost completely flummoxed by major-league arms thus far. The 22-year-old does have six home runs, but he's still sitting on an abysmal .152/.241/.270 slash line across his first 237 big-league plate appearances over two separate stints with the Mariners this season.
Aug 21 2021Kelenic went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Friday's 12-3 loss to the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was a forgettable day for Kelenic and for the Mariners as a whole as the Astros absolutely embarrassed them. Kelenic, who had 48 strikeouts through his first 35 games at the major-league level, had been showing massive strides at the plates in August with 10:9 BB:K through his first 16 games. Friday marked his first time striking out four times in a game and first game with more than two punchouts since July 26. Kelenic is still struggling overall to a slash line of .147/.244/.272 with six homers, 20 RBI, 20 runs scored and three steals in 54 games. It's unlikely the Mariners send him down again, but he definitely needs another offseason to get himself properly prepared for major-league pitching.
Aug 19 2021Kelenic isn't starting Thursday's game against the Rangers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic will get a rare day off after he went 0-for-7 with a run, three walks and two strikeouts across the last three games. Jake Fraley will shift to center field while Dylan Moore starts in left.
Aug 15 2021Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Saturday in a win over Toronto. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The rookie drilled a ball 384 feet to left field in the seventh inning for his sixth big-league homer. The long ball was part of a back-to-back set with teammate Luis Torrens. Kelenic is batting just .156 on the season, but he is starting to turn things around. Over his past 17 games, he is hitting .258 with four homers, four doubles, 14 RBI and an 8:11 BB:K across 62 at-bats.
Aug 6 2021Kelenic, who went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and additional run in a loss to the Yankees on Thursday, owns a .615 slugging percentage over the 30 plate appearances covering his last seven games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has slugged three of his five homers on the season during that sample, and just as important, his typically bloated strikeout rate sits at just 13.3 percent during that span. What's more, Kelenic has matching 13.3 percent walk rate in those seven contests, and the combination of his power surge and disciplined hitting has led to a .367 on-base percentage.
Aug 4 2021Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His fourth-inning shot off Luis Patino proved to be the winning run on the night, as he gave the M's a 3-1 lead. Kelenic may finally be getting comfortable in the majors -- over his last five games, he's launched two of his four homers on the season while going 5-for-19 with a sharp 3:2 BB:K.
Jul 30 2021Kelenic went 2-for-5 with a homer and four RBI in Friday's win over Texas. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic launched a three-run shot off Kolby Allard in the third inning, his third of the season and first since May 24. The star prospect is still slashing just .122/.207/.206 through 145 career plate appearances. On the bright side, he's now 4-for-13 with seven RBI over the last three games.
Jul 24 2021After recording a single in each of the first three games of his second big-league stint, Kelenic is 0-for-14 over his last four contests. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic went right back to looking the part of prized prospect when he received a demotion to Triple-A Tacoma in early June, posting a .333/.419/.678 slash line with eight doubles, a triple and seven home runs over his last 22 games with the Rainiers before a promotion July 17. However, Kelenic is still getting fooled nearly half the time against big-league pitching, as he sports a massive 48.1 percent strikeout rate across the 27 plate appearances he's logged over his first seven contests back. It's a small sample, but his plate discipline actually appears to have regressed -- Kelenic went down on strikes at a still-elevated but more acceptable 28.3 percent clip over his first 92 big-league plate appearances earlier in the season.
Jul 17 2021Kelenic, who was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day, went 1-for-4 with a single in a win over the Angels on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 22-year-old snapped what had been 0-for-42 skid at the big-league level that dated back to his initial stint with the Mariners this season. Kelenic has looked like a completely different hitter at the Triple-A level compared to the overmatched rookie he's often come across as when facing big-league arms, but perhaps Friday's hit will kickstart his current tenure with Seattle.
Jul 16 2021Kelenic is starting in center field and batting eighth Friday against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mariners won't wait to insert Kelenic into the starting lineup after recalling him earlier Friday. While the 22-year-old struggled to a .096/.185/.193 slash line during his initial stint with the big club, he hit .306/.386/.622 with seven long balls in his 24 games back in Tacoma. Kelenic seems likely to get everyday playing time going forward.
Jul 15 2021Kelenic will be recalled by the Mariners on Friday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: There was speculation that Kelenic's call-up could be coming in the near future since he didn't report to Triple-A Tacoma following the Futures Game, and general manager Jerry Dipoto confirmed the news Thursday. Although the 21-year-old had a disappointing .096/.185/.193 slash line in 23 major-league games earlier in the year, he's been dominant in the minors and slashed .360/.429/.680 with a home run, five doubles, five RBI and four runs in six Triple-A games in July. Kelenic mainly hit at the top of the order in his first big-league stint, and he should see plenty of playing time in Seattle's outfield going forward.
Jul 13 2021Kelenic owns a .360/.429/.680 slash line with five doubles, one home run, five RBI, three walks and four runs across 28 plate appearances in his first six games of July at Triple-A Tacoma. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic also went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two total runs June 29, so he's been on an extended stretch of success at the plate. It appears to be mission accomplished with respect to Kelenic regaining his confidence and stroke with the Rainiers after a tough initial major-league stint, so a return to the Mariners could be imminent.
Jun 28 2021Kelenic is slashing .310/.400/.619 with two doubles, a triple, three home runs, 12 RBI, six walks, two stolen bases and 12 runs over the 50 plate appearances across his last 10 games at Triple-A Tacoma. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The elite prospect was sent back to Tacoma to regain his confidence after a rough initial landing at the big-league level, and he's certainly putting his time with the Rainiers to good use. In addition to his impressive array of numbers, Kelenic also has a 12.0 percent walk rate and 14.0 percent strikeout rate during that 10-game sample, significant improvements on the respective 8.7 percent and 28.3 percent figures he produced in those categories during his time with the Mariners.
Jun 15 2021Kelenic is 3-for-8 with a pair of solo home runs, a walk, two stolen bases and four runs over his last two games for Triple-A Tacoma. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic's second tour of duty with the Rainiers essentially picked up where his forgettable first major-league tenure left off -- namely, with plenty of swing-and-misses and an overall lack of production. However, after going 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in his first two games back in the minors, Kelenic seems to be rediscovering the stroke he displayed earlier in the season with Tacoma. The Mariners are still likely committed to an extended stint at the Triple-A level for their prized prospect, considering how evident his need for additional seasoning was during his time with the big-league club.
Jun 12 2021Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a two-run double and a run in Triple-A Tacoma's win over Sacramento on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic had gone 0-for-8 with an RBI and four strikeouts in his first two games with the Rainiers, so Friday's two-bagger represented his first hit since his demotion Monday. The elite prospect will look to gain additional seasoning against Triple-A arms before a return to the majors is considered after he struggled to a .096/.185/.193 slash line over 92 plate appearances with the Mariners in his first taste of the majors.
Jun 7 2021Kelenic was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was one of the most hyped prospects in the league over the offseason, leading to widespread annoyance at the Mariners' decision to keep him in the minors until mid-May. As it turns out, he may in fact have been called up too early. He'll head back to the minors to sort things out after hitting a miserable .096/.185/.193 through 23 games. A .109 BABIP can be blamed for some of his struggles, but it's not as if producing numbers in line with his .180 xBA and .322 xSLG would count as meeting expectations. Kelenic's 28.3 percent strikeout rate was poor but not terrible, but he simply didn't hit the ball very hard when he did make contact, producing just a 5.3 percent barrel rate. Kelenic is still only 21 years old, so there's plenty of time for him to get back on track, but his first taste of big-league action couldn't have gone much worse.
Jun 6 2021Kelenic is not in Sunday's starting lineup against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic is currently hitless in his last 37 at-bats dating back to May 26, so he'll be given a day to reset during Sunday's series finale. Taylor Trammell will slide to center field Sunday, with Donovan Walton moving from his usual position at second base to left field.
Jun 2 2021Kelenic is not starting Wednesday's game against the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The rookie will sit against what would be a tough matchup in lefty Sean Manaea. It's worth wondering whether Kelenic, hitting .111 since being called up and 0-for-26 in his last seven games, will be sent down to Triple-A, much like teammate Taylor Trammell, to regain his confidence at the plate. Trammell will start in center field Wednesday.
May 31 2021Kelenic went 0-for-3 with a pair of walks, a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's 6-5 extra-inning win over Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While the rookie outfielder's skid stretched to 0-for-22, he was able to get on base multiple times for the first time since May 25. Kelenic has a poor .118/.211/.235 slash line with two home runs, six RBI, six runs scored and three stolen bases through 76 plate appearances. This is likely just a set of growing pains for the 21-year-old as he adjusts to major-league pitching.
May 29 2021Kelenic went 0-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and a run in a win over the Rangers on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic found a way to make an impact out of the leadoff spot despite going hitless, reaching safely for the third time in the last five games. The prized prospect has gotten a mostly rude introduction to the big leagues after dominating Triple-A arms, slashing just .138/.206/.276 across 63 plate appearances, although four of his eight hits have at least gone for extra bases (two doubles, two home runs).
May 25 2021Kelenic went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run Monday in a 4-2 win over the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Back in the starting nine Monday after sitting out Sunday's loss to the Padres amid a 2-for-28 slide at the plate, Kelenic was able to get on track in the fifth inning, when he took Frankie Montas deep to right field to give Seattle a 4-1 lead. The elite prospect is hitting just .146 to begin his career, but a strong 17.8 percent strikeout rate and an abnormally low .129 BABIP offer plenty of hope that better days are ahead for the 21-year-old.
May 23 2021Kelenic is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Seattle will give the 21-year-old outfielder his first day off since he was promoted from Triple-A Tacoma on May 13. After an impressive three-hit performance in his second MLB game, Kelenic has ridden the struggle bus over the Mariners' subsequent seven contests. During that stretch, Kelenic has gone 2-for-28 while reaching base at a .161 clip.
May 15 2021Kelenic went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, two total runs and three total RBI in a 7-3 victory over Cleveland on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic didn't reach base in his MLB debut Thursday, but he turned things around with a big performance Friday. After striking out in his first at-bat, the 21-year-old slugged a two-run homer to right field in the third inning for his first big-league hit. He went on to collect a pair of doubles before the game ended, including one that drove in a run in the seventh frame. Kelenic likely has plenty more big games ahead of him and should play on a near-everyday basis moving forward.
May 14 2021Kelenic, who made his major-league debut in Thursday's loss to Cleveland, went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The ultra-talented prospect swung at the first pitch he saw in the majors to lead off the home half of the first inning for the Mariners and fouled out, and he went on to strike out, ground out and fly out against Cleveland starter Zach Plesac, who twirled an eight-inning gem. Kelenic figures to remain with the big-league club after he followed an impressive spring training with a torrid start at Triple-A Tacoma.
May 13 2021Kelenic is leading off in Thursday's game against Cleveland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic should claim an everyday role in the outfield now that he's been called up, and he'll lead off in his major-league debut Thursday. It's not yet clear whether the Mariners intend to put Kelenic at the top of the order on a regular basis, but he'll likely have a prominent spot in the lineup going forward. The 21-year-old appeared in six games for Triple-A Tacoma to begin the year and went 10-for-27 with two home runs, six RBI, five runs and two stolen bases.
May 10 2021The Mariners plan to call Kelenic up from Triple-A Tacoma prior to Thursday's home game against Cleveland, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic has been dominating against Triple-A pitching through the first handful of games, and while nothing is set in stone, it appears his tear at the dish will be rewarded with a long-awaited promotion. If he's called up later in the week as expected, Kelenic should be installed as an everyday player in either left or center field. While his batting average and on-base percentage could be somewhat volatile, Kelenic's power/speed combo makes him worthy of a pickup if he's still sitting on a waiver wire in shallower leagues.
May 7 2021Kelenic went 2-for-6 with two solo home runs and an additional run scored in Triple-A Tacoma's loss to El Paso on Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The prized prospect wasted no time building an early case for his long-desired promotion to the big leagues, slugging a pair of homers in his 2021 minors debut after a successful spring training stint with the big-league club. Kelenic is fully expected to make his majors debut this season after some initial exposure to Triple-A arms.
May 6 2021Kelenic will likely make his major-league debut later in May, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic will make his debut with Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, and the Mariners' left fielders have had lackluster performances at the plate to begin the year. The 21-year-old is fully healthy after he dealt with a knee injury during spring training, and he figures to slot in as Seattle's primary left fielder once he eventually gets called up to the big leagues.
Apr 23 2021Kelenic will "play in the big leagues in the not-too-distant-future" according to general manager Jerry Dipoto, but the team's current strong outfield depth chart doesn't presently offer the 21-year-old an opportunity for promotion, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The prized prospect made quite an impression during Cactus League play and has made his burning desire to start competing at the big-league level very apparent, but he'll still continue biding his time at the alternate training site for the moment. With Mitch Haniger, Taylor Trammell, a now healthy Kyle Lewis and Ty France holding down the three outfield spots and the designated hitter role, respectively, the organization feels Kelenic contjnues to be best served getting in everyday reps as opposed to only taking occasional major-league at-bats.
Mar 26 2021Kelenic was reassigned to minor-league camp Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic dealt with a knee injury earlier in camp but had a strong showing in Cactus League play. The 21-year-old slashed .333/.478/.778 with two home runs, seven runs and five RBI over nine spring games but will now join the minor-league camp before he presumably spends the first few weeks of the regular season at Triple-A Tacoma.
Mar 20 2021Kelenic corroborated the health of his previously injured right knee on multiple plays during a Cactus League win over the White Sox on Friday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic returned to the starting lineup exactly two weeks after suffering a Grade 2 adductor strain and enjoyed an excellent all-around night. In going 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run, Kramer notes the prize prospect flashed his wheels by using his speed on each of the three occasions he reached safely overall, leaving no doubt about his return to full health. The multi-hit effort pushed Kelenic's spring average to .333, but general manager Jerry Dipoto said earlier this week the 21-year-old is still likely to head to minor league spring training or the alternate training site when the Mariners break camp.
Mar 18 2021Kelenic (knee) walked, grounded out and scored a run in his pair of plate appearances during Wednesday's Cactus League loss to the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The star prospect jumped back into game action for the first time since March 5 with a four-pitch walk in the sixth inning after substituting into the contest for Taylor Trammell. Kelenic, who still has a week-plus worth of Cactus League action to make his case for an Opening Day roster spot, is now hitting .222 (2-for-9) across five exhibitions.
Mar 17 2021Kelenic (knee) will play in Wednesday's spring game against the Angels, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left adductor strain early in March, but he participated in a sim game Tuesday and appeared to run the bases without limitations. Manager Scott Servais confirmed that Kelenic will be back on the field for Wednesday's Cactus League matchup against the Angels following his absence. Now that he appears to be healthy, Kelenic will have just over two weeks to compete for a major-league roster spot ahead of Opening Day.
Mar 16 2021Kelenic (knee) appeared to be running the bases without any limitations in Tuesday's sim game, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Divish posted a video of Kelenic lacing a hard grounder and then exploding out of the batter's box, not stopping until he slid into second base with a would-be double. Kelenic, who Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports has been pushing manager Scott Servais and the training staff to get back on the field, appeared intent on leaving no doubt about his recovery from the Grade 2 left adductor strain that's had him sidelined since March 5. Since he got through this sim game with flying colors, he should get back to Cactus League action Wednesday.
Mar 14 2021Kelenic (knee) was able to log a full batting practice Sunday without any discomfort, marking his first on-field session since sustaining a Grade 2 adductor strain, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The elite prospect added that he hadn't experienced any pain in his knee, thigh or quadriceps area while hitting in batting cages and playing catch throughout the past week. Considering the accelerated pace of his recovery, he's likely to be reinserted into Cactus League lineups in the coming days.
Mar 13 2021Kelenic (knee) is scheduled to meet with the training staff Saturday and could return to on-field activities next week, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: General manager Jerry Dipoto recently said that Kelenic is on the fast track with his recovery, and the team will determine a plan to get him back on the field in the near future. The 21-year-old would likely require some time to ramp up before returning to Cactus League games, but he could be back in the Mariners' lineup before too long. It's not yet clear whether the injury will force Kelenic to begin the year in the minors.
Mar 11 2021Kelenic (knee) is on the fast track with his recovery, according to general manager Jerry Dipoto, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was reported last week that Kelenic could return in a week, although Dipoto noted Thursday that the team thought it would take a couple weeks. Nonetheless, Dipoto acknowledged that Kelenic is working hard to beat that timetable. It sounds like Taylor Trammell is the outfield prospect most likely to make the Opening Day roster, given his performance this spring. Kelenic is obviously deserving as well, but this knee injury gives Seattle an excuse to manipulate the service time for one of the game's top prospects.
Mar 6 2021Kelenic (knee) said Saturday that he hopes to return to game action in a week, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic tweaked his knee coming out of the batter's box in Friday's spring game against the White Sox and was diagnosed with a Grade 2 adductor muscle strain to his left knee Saturday. General manager Jerry Dipoto didn't sound concerned about his long-term outlook, and Kelenic echoed his optimism following his diagnosis. "I'll be back in seven days," Kelenic said. "That's my goal. I don't think it's anything serious." The 21-year-old will continue to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster once he's healthy enough to return, but his absence could slightly hinder his chances of beginning the season in the majors.
Mar 3 2021Kelenic slugged a two-run home run in Wednesday's Cactus League tie with the Cubs and is 2-for-6 with a walk and two runs overall through three spring games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports Kelenic admitted Wednesday that former Mariners president and CEO Kevin Mather's revelation regarding the elite prospect having turned down a six-year deal from the organization because of his belief he'll eventually outperform the contract is serving as motivation for him this spring, and early returns seem to back that up. Kelenic has made no secret about his belief he's ready to contribute at the big-league level despite his 92 plate appearances at Double-A Arkansas in 2019 constituting his highest level of experience in the minors, and he remains focused on trying to wrest the starting left field job from Jake Fraley and Braden Bishop ahead of Opening Day. However, it's worth noting Seattle has incentive to not officially promote Kelenic until after April 16 in order to preserve an extra year of his services down the line.
Feb 23 2021Kelenic put on an impressive hitting display in batting practice during the Mariners' first full-squad workout of spring Tuesday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The prized prospect showed off some power, driving the ball with authority to all fields and hitting several home runs. A 2021 big-league debut for Kelenic is essentially a foregone conclusion at this point, although it remains to be seen if comments made by former Mariners CEO Kevin Mather earlier in February about the 21-year-old not being called up until late April due to service-time considerations ultimately prove accurate.
Feb 21 2021Kelenic won't be considered for an Opening Day roster spot but will be called up in late April, team president Kevin Mather said in a talk with the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club in early February that was posted to the club's official YouTube page. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The speech contained a number of explicit admissions of practices that front offices normally keep under wraps such as blatant service-time manipulation. The team clearly views Kelenic as big-league ready, as Mather also told the club that the team had offered him a large pre-debut extension. He didn't want to agree to any team options that would extend into his free-agent years, so the team will send him to the minors for a few weeks in order to deny him a year of free agency. Assuming the Mariners stick to that plan, expect Kelenic to wind up playing somewhere in the neighborhood of 140 games this season if he can stay healthy.
Jan 28 2021Kelenic will join the Mariners' big-league camp this spring, Lauren Smith of The Tacoma News Tribune reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kelenic dominated the minors in 2019, hitting .291/.364/.540 with 23 homers and 20 steals in 117 games across three levels, topping out at Double-A. Under ordinary circumstances, he probably would have continued that dominance in the upper minors last season and pushed for his big-league debut, but the canceled minor-league campaign prevented him from doing so. On talent alone, Kelenic should be given a legitimate shot to win an Opening Day roster spot, but whether or not the Mariners are willing to give him one remains to be seen.
Jul 22 2020Kelenic probably won't debut in the majors this season, Lauren Smith of The News Tribune reports. "He's gong to be fun to watch in a Mariner uniform for a long time, but oftentimes you see players that do get rushed through a little bit, and they can really take a step backwards, and we don't want to do that with Jarred," manager Scott Servais said last week. "We want to make sure the time is right for him and for us, and then go forward and never have to look back again." ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This has been the Mariners' refrain all through camp, despite the fact that Kelenic might already be the team's best hitter. It's hard to defend this stance if the goal is to win games and if playing time is a meritocracy. As a non-contender, the Mariners are not in a hurry to start Kelenic's clock, and they would also like to give as many reps to Kyle Lewis and Jake Fraley as they can this season so that they can figure out who profiles as part of their long-term outfield next to Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez. It would be unwise to take what the team is saying as gospel, but drafting Kelenic in redraft leagues is simply a shot in the dark at this point.
Jul 14 2020Kelenic slugged two home runs in Monday's intrasquad game and added an RBI single in Tuesday's contest, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Mariners have already gone on record as saying they plan on resisting the temptation to have Kelenic make his big-league debut in the shortened 2020 season; however, the 20-year-old is testing the organization's commitment to that pledge with his red-hot start to summer camp. Factoring in Tuesday's production, Kelenic is 5-for-8 with doubles, Monday's pair of round trippers and three RBI across four intrasquad games, but he's still projected to head to the team's alternate training site for continued development once the regular season begins.
Jul 11 2020Kelenic went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and a stolen base in his intrasquad debut Saturday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 20-year-old faced his 2019 Double-A Arkansas teammate Logan Gilbert and helped produce his side's one run against him. Kelenic drew a second-inning walk from the right-hander and promptly swiped second base, subsequently scoring on Donovan Walton's double. Kelenic is still expected to be off the active roster this coming season, but given his status as one of the organization's top prospects, manager Scott Servais plans on affording him plenty of reps during the duration of summer camp.
Jul 8 2020There is "essentially little to no chance" Kelenic reaches the majors this season, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This is all uncharted territory, and in the midst of a pandemic, it's tough to say that a player of Kelenic's talent has no chance of reaching the majors this season. However, Brock reports that the team thinks Kelenic and its other top prospects can get the necessary development at their satellite camp this summer. Kelenic hit a home run during live batting practice Tuesday, the video of which went viral, so there is understandably a lot of excitement surrounding the young outfielder. However, it would be unwise to expect him to play enough in the majors this season to warrant an investment in redraft leagues.
Jul 4 2020Kelenic appears to have put on additional muscle while spring training was shut down, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The elite prospect has already raised plenty of expectations, so news that he's rounding out into even better shape only whets the appetite to see him face big-league arms sooner rather than later. However, it remains to be seen if Kelenic will have a legitimate opportunity to make the jump during the shortened 2020 season, as the move may not be worth it for the Mariners over the long term because of service-time considerations.
Jun 29 2020Kelenic is part of the Mariners' player pool that will report to summer camp, as expected, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The move was fully anticipated, considering Kelenic's status as an elite prospect in the organization. The 20-year-old isn't on the 40-man roster, and his chances of actually seeing big-league action at some point in 2020 remain up in the air. However, Kelenic is essentially assured of a spot in the pool of up to 30 non-active-roster players that will train in a separate location throughout the season, as inclusion in that group will ensure he continues his professional development through intrasquad games and other baseball activities.
Jun 24 2020Mariners CEO John Stanton said Wednesday that he expects Kelenic to be on the 30-man taxi squad this year, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Given the unique circumstances, each team will get a taxi squad, and it has been rumored that members of the taxi squad will not accumulate major-league service time. With that, the Mariners will likely use Kelenic and their other elite prospects -- Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Emerson Hancock -- as part of the group, allowing them to work out with the big-league club and making them eligible to be added to the roster if needed.
Aug 10 2019Kelenic was promoted to Double-A Arkansas on Saturday.
Jul 18 2019High-A Modesto placed Kelenic on its 7-day injured list Wednesday with a left ankle injury, Daren Smith of MiLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 8 2019Kelenic was placed on the minor-league injured list Saturday with a right wrist injury, MLB Pipeline<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 6 2019Kelenic exited Thursday's game for High-A Modesto with an undisclosed injury, Greg Johns of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 13 2018Kelenic went 2-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run for Rookie-league Kingsport in Thursday's loss to Greeneville.After being selected sixth overall in this year's draft out of high school, Kelenic has taken to pro ball like a duck to water, slashing .413/.451/.609 in 12 games for the Mets' Gulf Coast League affiliate before a quick promotion to the Appalachian League, where he's now homered twice in his first three games. If the 18-year-old proves to have a quick learning curve despite his cold-weather background, he could rise quickly through a New York system thin in high-upside prospects.
Jun 16 2018Kelenic signed a contract with the Mets on Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.The sixth overall pick in this year's draft got an under-slot $4.5 million, but Kelenic still has upside worthy of a selection that high, if a little more uncertainty than a typical prep hitter due to his cold-weather background and the fact that he's slightly older than is usual for elite high school prospects. Kelenic will report to the Rookie-level GCL Mets to begin his pro career.
Jun 4 2018The Mets have selected Kelenic with the sixth overall pick in the 2018 first-year player draft.In a draft that is fairly light on toolsy prep hitters, Kelenic stands out as the most well-rounded of the bunch, which is something that has never before been said of a player hailing from Wisconsin. While scouts haven't gotten a lot of ideal looks at Kelenic this spring, he has a multi-year track record on the showcase circuit as one of the best performers in this class. He projects as a plus hitter from the left side with above-average speed and decent pop, but as he fills out his 6-foot-1, 196-pound frame, odds are his power output will eclipse what he provides with his legs on the bases. Kelenic will likely begin his pro career in center field, but could eventually end up in a corner outfield spot, where he would profile comfortably thanks to a plus arm. The one knock on Kelenic is that he turns 19 on July 16, making him one of the older high school prospects expected to be drafted in the first few rounds.