The Seattle Mariners shipped outfielder Jarred Kelenic to the Atlanta Braves on Monday, and the former top prospect seems very happy about the move, at least judging by his message about the deal.
Kelenic, a highly-rated prospect the Mariners got in their Edwin Diaz trade with the New York Mets, was traded by a Mariners team that appears determined to trim salary.
A day later, the outfielder posted a farewell message to Seattle on Instagram. Kelenic went out of his way to thank Mariners fans, his former teammates, and even the Braves for bringing him to the organization. Conspicuously missing, however, is any mention of the Mariners organization.
Many Mariners fans did not think this was coincidental. There has been frustration and confusion over the organization’s strategy in recent years, as the club failed to capitalize on a 2022 playoff appearance by expanding payroll and adding more talent.
One Mariners player even called the organization out publicly over their lack of aggression in acquiring elite players, especially with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, two teams that are much more known for making big moves, sharing a division with them.
That strategy does not seem to be changing, as trades like this one mostly serve to cut payroll, even though the team has reportedly ruled itself out of chasing the market’s top prize.
Kelenic may well share those feelings, or he may think the organization harmed his development, as there was some talk about service time manipulation when he was first called up in 2021.
Kelenic is still only 24 and showed tangible improvement in 2023 by hitting .253 with 11 home runs in 105 games. A fresh start in Atlanta may be exactly what he needs.
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