Braves Reveal New Injury From 2024 Season

An Atlanta Braves outfielder told reporters that he played through injury issues late during the 2024 campaign.

Atlanta Braves left fielder Jarred Kelenic / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The shoulder and elbow injuries that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins didn't disclose until this month has become the talk of the Atlanta sports world. Pundits can now add Atlanta Braves outfielder Jarred Kelenic to the list.

Alright, Kelenic's revelation isn't quite the same as Cousins'. But Kelenic did tell reporters during the first week of Spring Training that he dealt with lingering ailments toward the end of the 2024 campaign.

"Jarred Kelenic was playing through a few things last season -- oblique, wrist and foot. He said non was serious," The AJC's Justin Toscano wrote. "They were the result of a long season more than anything.

"He's proud of how he showed up and was available despite them."

This is the first public acknowledgement of Kelenic's injuries. Unlike in the NFL, MLB teams aren't required to disclosed injuries for players not on the injured list. There are different rules for players on the IL, but Kelenic never missed any time.

Despite his injuries, Kelenic played a career-high 131 MLB games in 2024. He also set a new career high in at-bats and plate appearances.

It's not as impressive Kelenic continued to start through his injuries when considering he didn't play well. He hit .183 with a .595 OPS in 152 plate appearances after the All-Star break.

But at the same time, the Braves were out of options. After early August, they didn't have Ronald Acuña, Austin Riley or Ozzie Albies. They also lost another outfielder in Michael Harris II for a significant amount of time.

Kelenic continuing to play so the Braves didn't have to sign someone off the street is commendable.

It should also give Braves Country hope that Kelenic can return to his early 2024 season form this spring. He slashed .255/.303/.418 during the first half of the season.

Kelenic experienced a particularly strong June last year, hitting .304 with a .544 slugging percentage, supported by six home runs and four doubles. He also had 14 RBI and 11 runs scored during the month.

If a healthy Kelenic can get back close to those numbers, the Braves offense could get firing on all cylinders even without Acuña in the lineup during the first month of 2025.