Thriving on new team, Kelenic helps lift Braves to walk-off win

ATLANTA -- Jarred Kelenic changed his batting stance in Spring Training, and he has made multiple adjustments over the months that have followed. But his most beneficial alteration seems to have been the change of scenery he experienced in December, when he was traded from the Mariners to the Braves.

“I’m just having fun with these guys,” Kelenic said. “I feel like this is such a good group from top to bottom. I wake up looking forward to coming to the ballpark each and every day. I look forward to doing whatever I can to help win that night.”

Kelenic did a little bit of everything while helping the Braves claim a 2-1 win over the Pirates in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon at Truist Park. The rejuvenated outfielder hit a leadoff homer against Paul Skenes and made a game-saving catch that ultimately led to Adam Duvall scoring free runner Luke Williams with a game-ending single.

“He’s a fiery competitor and he expects a lot out of himself,” Braves starting pitcher Max Fried said. “He’s extremely talented. So, when he gets going and lets himself stay within himself ... you see what he can do.”

What the Braves have benefited from over the past month is the tremendous talent the Mets saw when they took Kelenic with the sixth overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. The Mariners saw the same potential when they acquired him in exchange for Edwin Díaz and Robinson Canó that same year.

Seattle gave up on that potential after Kelenic produced a .656 OPS over 974 plate appearances from 2021-23. The Braves took a chance on the 24-year-old outfielder and they have benefited greatly, as he has hit .320 with six homers and a .945 OPS over his past 27 games dating back to May 29, a few days after Ronald Acuña Jr.’s season-ending injury made Kelenic an everyday player.

Kelenic’s production has really surged since taking over the leadoff spot on June 15 after Michael Harris II’s left hamstring strain. He has batted .351 with a 1.046 OPS in 63 plate appearances over the 14 games since. This isn’t what was expected from a guy who began the season batting at the bottom of Atlanta’s order.

“It’s a lot of responsibility you’re putting on the kid, and he’s responded really well, which is a really good sign of the player himself,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Kelenic certainly wasn’t fazed by the challenge of facing the overpowering arsenal of Skenes, who is the game’s newest phenom. The Braves energized the home crowd when Kelenic sent Skenes’ third pitch, a 98.4 mph fastball, over the right-field wall. This was the hardest-thrown pitch against which Kelenic has ever homered, and he has five homers in his past 57 at-bats.

“Everybody knows who [Skenes] is,” Kelenic said. “I made a plan to myself that I was going to be aggressive in the zone, especially on the fastball, early. I was just on time for it.”

Kelenic watched his first-inning solo shot clear the fence, turned toward his team’s first base dugout and enthusiastically yelled before continuing his trot. Exactly what he said didn’t matter. His expressions clearly indicated that he is comfortable and happy with both his new role and his new environment.

“When you’re going good, you have fun, when you’re going bad, you’re not going to have so much fun,” Snitker said. “But he’s really swinging the bat well. It’s good to see.”

Along with tallying his third multihit performance within his past five games, Kelenic showed he can handle the center-field position he had to fill after Harris’ injury. Transitioning from a corner outfield spot to center requires adjustments. But Kelenic looked comfortable when he raced down Yasmani Grandal’s long fly with two outs and two runners in scoring position to end the top of the eighth.

Kelenic fell a few feet short of a multihomer game, when his long drive to begin the bottom of the eighth was caught at the right-center-field wall. This was one of the few things that has recently gone wrong for the outfielder, who is enjoying his new team.

“I’m around such a talented group,” Kelenic said. “We have so many similar things that we talk about. It’s very comforting. It’s just a fun atmosphere when you are around guys that have that same mentality.”