It's Time for the Atlanta Braves to Bench Jarred Kelenic

There was a time when Jarred Kelenic's acquisition looked brilliant. That time has passed and the Braves need to make a change.

The Atlanta Braves offense is struggling. Jarred Kelenic was once an answer but that time has passed. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

There was a point during the early summer months when the Atlanta Braves looked like they fleeced the Seattle Mariners over the offseason. They had acquired former top prospect Jarred Kelenic as part of a five-player trade, and he was looking great. 

Through the first 70 games of the season, Kelenic appeared to get a hold of Major League pitching. He was batting .278 with a .781 OPS and nine home runs and 26 RBIs. 

But even then, that doesn’t give the full context of his start. He didn’t hit his first home run until May 7. All nine home runs came in 44 games. That’s a 33-home run pace across 162 games. 

Kelenic had moved to the top of the Braves lineup and was seen as an answer to their offensive struggles. However, since the start of July, he’s embodied the problem. 

Since July 3, he’s batting .169 with a .547 OPS with six home runs and 18 RBIs across 60 games. In the first 70 games, he was out of the lineup for eight games. Since then, he’s been out of it for 12. 

Once Ozzie Albies gets back, it’s hard to imagine his playing time will increase.

How so? Well, it comes down to having an alternative: Whit Merrifield. He can play outfield and his bat has been reliable. 

Since Aug. 2, Merrifield is batting .252 with a .706 OPS. The Braves just can’t afford to have any holes in the lineup in the final games of the season. They’re now two games back from a playoff spot with 11 games to go. 

There is a reason Jorge Soler is playing in the outfield. Right now, offense takes priority over anything else. 

It's a shame to see a once-promising prospect struggle to find consistency in MLB. Maybe Kelenic will get his act together next season after getting some work in during spring training. That would make for a great story. He's still 25. You never know.

However, now isn’t the time. The Braves don’t have the race track. 

There was a time when he really helped the team. This is not meant to discredit that. But that time has come and gone. He needs to step aside for the good of the team.