In a significant trade to kick off the MLB winter meetings, the Atlanta Braves have acquired outfielder Jarred Kelenic, left-hander Marco Gonzales, and first baseman Evan White from the Seattle Mariners. In exchange, the Mariners receive right-handers Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips.
This trade marks the Mariners’ second move to shed veteran talent this offseason, following their trade of third baseman Eugenio Suarez to the Arizona Diamondbacks. While the exact amount of cash involved in the deal remains undisclosed, White and Gonzales come with a combined owed amount of $29 million.
The Braves, on the lookout for a left fielder and pitching support, have taken on this financial commitment to acquire 24-year-old Kelenic. The young outfielder has demonstrated flashes of brilliance, fitting into a Braves lineup that recorded a staggering .501 slugging percentage this season, the highest in MLB history. Kelenic posted a batting line of .253/.327/.419 with 11 home runs and 49 RBIs in 105 games this year, although he did miss time due to a foot injury sustained in frustration after a strikeout.
Kelenic was the last remaining player from the blockbuster 2018 trade that sent closer Edwin Diaz and second baseman Robinson Cano to the New York Mets. While he possesses tremendous power, as evidenced by a 482-foot home run, he has struggled with strikeouts, amassing 132 in 416 plate appearances in 2023. With less than two years of service time, Kelenic is not set to reach free agency until after the 2028 season.
Gonzales, 31, is coming off arm surgery to address a nerve issue. He was a reliable innings-eater in previous seasons but went 4-1 with a 5.22 ERA in 50 innings over 10 starts before his injury. Gonzales is due to make $12 million in 2024, with a $15 million option for 2025.
White, signed to a six-year, $24 million contract by the Mariners before his MLB debut in 2020, has faced challenges in his career. Struggling at first base, he lost his starting role in 2021, resulting in a combined batting line of .165/.235/.308 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs over 84 games across two MLB seasons. Injuries have also hindered his progress in the past two seasons at Triple-A. He is owed $15 million over the next two seasons, with a $2 million buyout in 2026 on the first of three options held by the Braves.
The loss of Gonzales, White, and Suarez (making $11 million this season) has significantly reduced the Mariners’ payroll to around $110 million, well below last season’s $137 million Opening Day payroll. Seattle, which won 88 games this year and narrowly missed the playoffs, may explore trade or free-agent options to boost their offense, especially after losing right fielder Teoscar Hernandez to free agency.
With a stable of young, homegrown starting pitchers, the Mariners present an appealing trade partner for teams wary of the high costs associated with free-agent back-end starting pitching, often exceeding $10 million per year.
Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto expressed gratitude to Gonzales, Kelenic, and White for their contributions and emphasized the team’s goal of improving for 2024 and beyond. He believes the additions of Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips, along with the flexibility in roster and payroll created by this trade, will move the Mariners closer to achieving that goal.
Phillips, a 20-year-old prospect, was Atlanta’s second-round pick in the 2022 draft, recovering from Tommy John surgery earlier that year. While he has yet to pitch professionally, scouts view him as a high-potential talent with a strong fastball and effective breaking ball.
Kowar, 27, was a first-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2018. During his three seasons with the Royals, he struggled with a 9.12 ERA and faced challenges in the big leagues. He was traded to the Braves on November 17 for right-hander Kyle Wright.