When you lose your cool, don't kick the water cooler.
Jarred Kelenic learned that the hard way Wednesday in Seattle following a strikeout in the final moments of the Mariners' 6-3 loss to the Twins. The incident came after he lost the nine-pitch battle against Minnesota closer Jhoan Duran.
Kelenic was called out on strikes with two on and nobody out in the bottom of the ninth. His response to the frustrating moment was a little more violent than the Yankees' Carlos Rodon, in what became a weird day on the diamond.
As for the Gatorade water cooler, it was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kelenic promptly channeled his best World Cup-style kick in the dugout. Instead of finding the back of a net, Kelenic found himself in a walking boot and out of the lineup for the foreseeable future.
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The outfielder has experienced a breakout season in 2023, raising his batting average to .252 through 90 games to go along with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs after struggling for the better part of two seasons. He has held down the third spot in Seattle's lineup, finally beginning to showcase some of the talent that made him a coveted prospect.
Now in the midst of a playoff race, the Mariners will have to look elsewhere for offense thanks to the regrettable moment. Here's the latest on the Mariners' outfielder:
Jarred Kelenic injury update
Following Wednesday's game, Kelenic was taken for X-rays and a bone scan, which later revealed a fracture in his left foot, per Ryan Davish of The Seattle Times. He has been placed on the 10-day Injured List.
On Thursday, Mariners' manager Scott Servais addressed the injury and Kelenic's emotions.
Kelenic kicked the cooler after the Duran AB according to Servais
— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) July 20, 2023
"Nobody feels worse about this than Jarred does. Players get frustrated but you've got to be able to control your emotions that’s a part of being a professional. He’s upset. He knows he let a lot of people down."
Following Servais, Kelenic then met with the media while wearing a boot on his left foot. The outfielder fought through tears and continued to express his regret for "letting everyone down."
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"I made a mistake. I let the emotions get the best of me there. I just feel terrible, especially for the guys," Kelenic said. "It's on me. It just can't happen."
Jarred Kelenic was so upset with the injury. That he couldn’t speak for a few minutes. He said he let his teammates down. pic.twitter.com/aSnY792R2K
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) July 20, 2023
Part of Kelenic’s opening comments pic.twitter.com/ycR8dM4qbF
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) July 20, 2023
Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com reports Kelenic is not believed to need surgery, but will instead need a few weeks to rest. There is no timeframe beyond that initial diagnosis.
In the meantime, Seattle recalled outfielder Cade Marlowe from Triple-A Tacoma to fill the open roster spot. The Mariners are currently 5 1/2 games out of the final wild card spot in the American League, trailing in the AL West by 10 games.
