With the Winter Meetings underway, MLB’s Hot Stove season is beginning to get warm. On Sunday night, the Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners agreed on a five-player trade.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Braves had acquired Jarred Kelenic from the Seattle Mariners. Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times later reported the remainder of the deal.
In addition to Kelenic, the Braves are acquiring pitcher Marco Gonzales and first baseman Evan White. Seattle, meanwhile, is getting a pair of right-handed pitchers — Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips.
The Mariners are trading Jarred Kelenic, Marco Gonzales and Evan White to the Braves for RHP Jackson Kowar and RHP Cole Phillips.
I will now turn off Twitter https://t.co/MgJjy5P32S
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) December 4, 2023
The general feeling on the deal was that the Braves got the better end of things.
Another Braves fleece job 💔 https://t.co/9N4ksmenNk pic.twitter.com/L8bUVsBWrr
— Jacob Zanolla (@jz2016cubs) December 4, 2023
This is like when you just keep offering stuff until the other side is confused and accidentally accepts https://t.co/Dh6walGH8d
— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) December 4, 2023
There is a 0% chance AA didn’t threaten Jerry Dipoto’s life to get him to accept this https://t.co/BVgjFCOFYY
— Addison (@YankeeWRLD) December 4, 2023
Jarred Kelenic leaves the Seattle Mariners the same way Edwin Díaz did in the trade that brought him here:
A young talent used to facilitate a salary dump. https://t.co/r8xAs3HqQV
— John Trupin (@JohnTrupin) December 4, 2023
https://t.co/kSZfFDB2XS pic.twitter.com/frhgfw2OeU
— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) December 4, 2023
WTF is that? You have got to be kidding me?? https://t.co/XHuz0zHkNd
— Chuck Powell (@ChuckPowellKJR) December 4, 2023
Kelenic is probably the most intriguing name in this deal. Once one of MLB’s top prospects, Kelenic has struggled since getting called up to the majors in 2021. In over three MLB seasons, he’s produced a .204/.283/.419 slash line. His MLB playing time has also been limited, as he played in 93 games in 2021, 54 in 2022 and 105 in 2023. Kelenic also had his best year in 2023, hitting .253/.327/.419 with 11 home runs. Additionally, he’s only 24.
Similarly, White was a highly-regarded prospect when he debuted with the Mariners in 2020. Defensively, White excelled, as he won a Gold Glove at first base. His bat, though, never clicked in Seattle, albeit in limited playing time. In 279 at-bats and 306 plate appearances, White has a Major League slash line of .165/.235/.308 with 10 home runs. White spent much of the 2022 and 2023 seasons sidelined with injuries, playing in only 30 combined Minor League games.
Seattle, meanwhile, is also banking on the hope of unrealized potential. Phillips has yet to make his pro debut after being selected in the second round of the 2022 draft.
Kowar was a first-round selection of the Kansas City Royals in 2018. He was traded to the Braves in November as part of the deal that sent Kyle Wright to Kansas City. He’s pitched sparingly in the majors, getting into only 39 games over the 2021-2023 seasons. In those outings, he has a 9.12 ERA but also has averaged better than a strikeout an inning.
