White Sox Giving Jarred Kelenic Another Shot at the Majors, Will It Be Short Lived?

The most familiar face in the Chicago White Sox' minor league system has been added to the active roster.

Ahead of the team's series finale with the Angels on Wednesday, the team moved Everson Pereira to the ten-day IL. The update came less than 24 hours after the outfielder was forced to exit the team's 5-2 victory with a shoulder injury. This will now be Pereira's second time on the IL this season, as he first missed a handful of games due to an ankle issue.

The good news is that Austin Hays recently returned from his stint on the IL. The veteran will immediately be able to help make up for Pereira's absence and will make his first start since April on Wednesday. Nevertheless, the Sox still needed some extra bodies, especially after Tanner Murray suffered a dislocated shoulder this past weekend.

Cue Jarred Kelenic!

White Sox Giving Jarred Kelenic a Chance ...

Feb 17, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Jarred Kelenic poses for a portrait during photo day at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Sox selected Jarred Kelenic's contract following 26 outings to start the season with the Charlotte Knights. While he hasn't necessarily been the most efficient hitter, the former Major Leaguer has registered a solid .810 OPS with 17 hits, 18 RBIs, and a team-leading 19 walks. Kelenic's six homers so far also sit at the top of the Knights' leaderboard.

So what has been the main issue for Kelenic? He has struck out A TON. In fact, his 30 Ks are currently Top 14 in Triple-A. Swings and misses have been a big part of his failure to turn into the player many once thought he could be. Speaking of which, it's also likely what kept him from grabbing one of the final Opening Day roster spots. Kelenic was certainly in the running, but he finished with only seven hits and 12 strikeouts in his 39 at-bats.

Nevertheless, for a Sox team in need of outfield depth, they could theoretically do a lot worse than Kelenic. A former Top 100 prospect in baseball, he is still only 26 years old with tons of MLB experience. Kelenic has 407 games under his belt dating back to 2021. The Mariners gave him a good amount of runway across three seasons before he ended up in Atlanta. The Braves would make him an everyday outfielder in 2024 before he appeared in just 24 games in 2025.

It's always been hard not to be drawn to Kelenic's upside. He has good bat speed that he uses for a strong power swing. On top of that, he is a pretty solid baserunner and comfortable outfielder. The latter point is especially important for this Sox squad, which has lost some defensive versatility this season with injuries to Brooks Baldwin and now Murray.

Interestingly enough, the man whose injury opened the door for Kelenic may be a good example for him to try to emulate. While Everson Pereira arrived with the White Sox with less big league experience, he is a previously highly-touted power-hitting prospect who bounced around the league early in his career. The Sox took a chance on him this winter, and he has since shown some significant improvement at the plate. Of course, he deserves the credit for whatever tweaks he made behind the scenes, but perhaps his growth will make the Sox feel better about helping Kelenic take a step toward being more consistent.

If one thing is for sure, there is an opportunity here for Kelenic to prove he belongs on the roster long-term. Will it be an uphill battle? Absolutely, but the Sox' outfield rotation has changed plenty during this first month-plus. Whether it be Tristan Peters, Derek Hill, or even youngster Sam Antonacci, there are spots to steal. Especially for a Sox team hoping to build on this recent momentum, the experience of someone like Kelenic could stand out.

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