Seattle Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic has continued his progression toward a return to the lineup. The 24-year-old took a major step on his road to recovery as he had the boot from his foot removed on Wednesday. Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto announced that Kelenic can now be more aggressive when it comes to resuming baseball activities.
While it is likely that Jarred Kelenic will return before the end of the regular season, however, it appears that it will be September, as opposed to August. If Seattle can continue to climb up the American League Wild Card race, then the addition of Kelenic could be massive for the club.
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“Dipoto just announced Kelenic got out of the boot yesterday. Now can go do more aggressive baseball activity. Optimistic that Kelenic will be back in September at some point & ready to compete” – @MarinersSUR
Kelenic has not appeared in a game for the Mariners since July 19th as a result of breaking his foot after kicking a water cooler. The incident occurred following a strikeout against the Minnesota Twins, shelving the potential star for weeks.
Following the diagnosis, the young outfielder gave a tearful interview to reporters, addressing the injury and how his emotions got the best of him. He also went on to say how he let his teammates down, however, the Seattle Mariners have closed the gap in the playoff race in his absence. The team currently sits one game behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot.
“Jarred Kelenic … water cooler … broken foot … emotions” – @BBisntBoring
Jarred Kelenic’s immaturity not only left him on the IL for the majority of the summer, but also derailed his breakout season. Through 90 games this season, Kelenic has maintained a .252 batting average with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs, as well as recording a career-high 12 stolen bases.
Cade Marlowe has thrived since Jarred Kelenic has been on the IL
For many casual baseball fans, Cade Marlowe was an relatively unknown minor-league outfielder for the Seattle Mariners. However, the 26-year-old has performed above expectations since being called up to replace the injured Jarred Kelenic.
“Since his call-up last month, @CadeMarlowe has already come through in big moments for the club. #SeaUsRise” – @Mariners
Through 21 games since being promoted to the MLB on July 20th, Marlowe has performed admirably for the Mariners. So far during his brief stint in the majors, Marlowe has racked up a pair of home runs with seven RBIs and a .273 batting average.