Seattle Mariners: Can Jarred Kelenic help down the stretch?
Jarred Kelenic has been spending time in Triple-A working on the weakness of his game’. He’s making progress so will he return to the Seattle Mariners in 2022 or will it be later?
Since being sent down to Tacoma back in May to “find himself” Jarred Kelenic has done a very nice job in doing just that. Jarred is hitting .291 with 11 home runs to go along with 34 RBIs. Much better stat line than he began the year with for sure.
By all accounts, he has taken this step back with grace and worked hard to get his swing and swag back. He seemed to put a ton of pressure on himself while with the big club. He needed to relax and play the game he has been playing since he was a kid. I’ve always said if I could talk to him I would tell him that you don’t have to make the Hall of Fame on every swing.
So, the real question is when will we see him back in the Seattle Mariners lineup? Barring any unforeseen moves by GM Jerry Dipoto or injury, I expect to see Jarred back the second week of August. This does hinge on Dipoto not adding a major outfield bat for the stretch run. If he does then we will most likely not see JK until after rosters expand in September.
How do you look at a glass that is only filled halfway?
The next question is can he actually help the Mariners down the stretch and save them from having to go out and add that bat? In the best-case scenario, he comes back plays well, stays healthy, and solidifies the M’s outfield. Subsequently, stretching out the lineup that much more. Bringing energy to the club and shows us all a glimpse of the talent we all want to see from him.
The worst-case scenario is he gets injured and ends his season, or goes into another major slump at the plate. If that happens he either gets a September call-up or just stays in Tacoma for the remainder of that season. In this scenario, Jerry has to go out and make a move. Possibly sacrificing some other young talent. This route is always a crap shoot. The player brought in may not perform to expectations either or the youngsters given up come back to be gems in the future.
Let’s all just hope that the Mariners remain in the running to end this playoff drought. And if we are lucky JK will have a bit to say about that also. I remain in his corner and do not think he has fallen into the dreaded AAAA player distinction. His future remains bright, he just needs to relax and let his game come through and trust what got him here. He has mentioned too many opinions on what he should do clouding his focus. So, now maybe we can watch the real Jarred Kelenic stand up.
https://twitter.com/MiLBMariners/status/1545961793633193985?s=20
Let us know what you think. Will he help us down the stretch or will he have to wait until spring training to show his stuff again? Will the Mariners send him to the fall leagues or winter ball? Does he need it? Stay tuned come September we will all get to find out. Until then GO MARINERS!