
The Mariners have been waiting for Jarred Kelenic to arrive — really arrive — since he made his big league debut in 2021 at the age of 21. After a fitful start to his career, Kelenic appears to have gotten his legs under him in 2023.
On Wednesday, Kelenic hit a 482-foot home run. Here’s what you need to know:
- Kelenic’s home run marked the longest in the Statcast era for the Mariners (since 2015) and the longest in that span at Wrigley Field in the regular season.
- Mike Zunino hit home runs of 470 feet in 2017 and 2018 for the Mariners, which had been the longest for the team in the Statcast era.
- This was the second-longest home run hit in the big leagues this season, behind a 485-foot homer by the Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton.
Jarred Kelenic just hit one where very few have before. 😳 pic.twitter.com/dtd9h3KNot
— MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2023
Backstory
Kelenic’s latest homer to dead center field put the finishing touches on the Mariners’ 5-2 victory over the Cubs on Wednesday. It was his third home run in as many days. On the team’s six-game road swing to Cleveland and Chicago, Kelenic was 10-for-22 with three home runs and six RBIs.
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Through the first 13 games of the season, Kelenic is hitting a robust .351.
The Mariners are off Thursday before opening a three-game series at T-Mobile Park on Friday against the Rockies.
What they’re saying
“I’m just staying on time for the fastball and getting pitches to hit,” Kelenic told ROOT Sports after the game. “My timing is good right now.”
“That was the series for Jarred Kelenic. Wow, fun to watch,” Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters. “He’s from this part of the country (Wisconsin) and all his friends and family are here. He’s in a great spot and really has been all spring.”
Required reading
(Photo: Charlie Riedel / AP)
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