
The Braves nab Jarred Kelenic in trade with the Mariners
The Winter Meetings are underway and the Atlanta Braves wasted no time in acquiring an outfielder. The Braves are acquiring outfielder Jarred Kelenic, left hander Marco Gonzales and first baseman Evan White from the Seattle Mariners according to a report by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Atlanta is sending right-hander Cole Phillips and righty Jackson Kowar to Seattle to complete the deal.
The Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a trade that will send outfielder Jarred Kelenic, left-hander Marco Gonzales and first baseman Evan White to the Braves in exchange for right-handers Cole Phillips and Jackson Kowar, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 4, 2023
The Braves get Kelenic who just turned 24 and is still a work in progress at the major league level. He had his best season to date in 2023, appearing in 105 games while hitting .253/.327/.419 with 11 home runs and a 108 wRC+. He suffered a broken foot after kicking a water cooler in a game against the Twins last July. Kelenic returned to action in September.
The deal is essentially a money dump for the Mariners. Gonzales appeared in just 10 games before undergoing season ending surgery due to a nerve issue in his forearm. He posted a 5.22 ERA and a 4.28 FIP in 50 innings. Gonzales will make $12.25 million in 2024.
The Mariners gave White a six-year, $24 million deal that also included club options for 2026, 2027 and 2028 prior to his major league debut in 2020 in which he won a Gold Glove. White though has struggled at the plate hitting just .165/.235/.308 with a 52 wRC+ in 84 career games in the majors. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2021 and injuries limited him to just two games at the Triple A level last season. He will make $7 million in 2024, $8 million in 2025 and has a $2 million buyout on his option for 2026.
The Braves acquired Kowar from the Royals in exchange for Kyle Wright back on November 17. Phillips was Atlanta’s second round pick in 2022, but has yet to make his professional debut due to injury.
UPDATE – The Braves have announced the deal. Seattle is sending money back to Atlanta to cover part of the salaries.
The Atlanta #Braves today acquired LHP Marco Gonzales, OF Jarred Kelenic, INF Evan White and cash considerations from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for RHP Jackson Kowar and minor-league RHP Cole Phillips: pic.twitter.com/1s5CPtFySV
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) December 4, 2023