What do the Braves latest rumors mean for Jarred Kelenic?

The Braves have a clear need for an outfielder with Ronald Acuna Jr. not expected to be ready for Opening Day, and they have a preference for a target, hoping to add a left-handed bat, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

“But the free-agent class is deep in outfielders who might offer comparable production to Laureano at a lower price.

The Braves’ preference is for a left-handed hitter — Harris, Kelenic, Matt Olson and switch-hitter Ozzie Albies are currently their only options from the left side. If the better fit is right-handed, so be it. The market includes numerous options beyond the four outfielders expected to command the biggest contracts: Juan Soto, Anthony Santander, Teoscar Hernández and Jurickson Profar. With Acuña expected to return a month or two into the season, the Braves need not shop at the high end,” Rosenthal wrote.

There are plenty of left-handed free agents available this offseason that won’t break the bank — Michael Conforto, Ben Gamel, Jason Heyward, Travis Jankowski, Max Kepler, David Peralta, Michael Tauchman, Alex Verdugo and Jesse Winker. The trade market also offers further options.

The Braves do have a left-handed outfielder on the roster, though. They invested heavily in Jarred Kelenic last offseason, but it seems the writing is on the wall. Depending on who Atlanta acquires, it could spell the end of Kelenic’s opportunities for the Braves.

With Acuna Jr. on the shelf for a couple of months or so, Kelenic will certainly have some opportunities at the beginning of the season. However, if the Braves spend considerable money on a left-handed outfielder, the jury is out on the outfield’s composition when Acuna returns.

More than likely, it would entail Kelenic being relegated to a bench role. Of course, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Alex Anthopoulos can’t go into the 2025 campaign hoping Kelenic figures it out. Hope is not a strategy, especially for a club with World Series aspirations.

A lot of Kelenic’s future will be dictated by how much the Braves shell out for this left-handed bat, but it’s quite clear that his time is dwindling to prove he can be a mainstay in Atlanta’s lineup.