The Jarred Kelenic train just kicked into its lowest gear yet.
The Mariners outfielder, a former top prospect who the Mets traded in the Edwin Diaz deal, broke his left foot kicking a water cooler during a 6-3 loss to the Twins on Wednesday night and was placed on the 10-day injured list.
A teary Kelenic told reporters Thursday afternoon that he took out his anger out on a nearby Gatorade water cooler in the dugout after striking out looking against Twins’ fireballing closer Jhoan Duran in the bottom of the ninth.
“Yeah, I let the emotions get the best of me there,” an emotional Kelenic said as he fought back tears.
“I just feel terrible, especially for the guys. I let emotions get the best of me, and I just let them down and take full responsibility — it’s on me, it just can’t happen.”
He said the gravity of the at-bat — a nine-pitch battle with Duran, who was throwing 104-mph fastballs and 90-mph curveballs — got the best of him.
“We came up last night with the game on the line, two guys on, against arguably the best closer in baseball. I put together a good at-bat, was just grinding, and unfortunately, I couldn’t come through, and I made a mistake,” Kelenic said.
“I think that’s the biggest thing, is that I love to win. I’m a huge competitor, and that’s the hardest part, is that now, I can’t be out there to help the guys, and that’s my fault,” the Mariners outfielder added.
The foot injury comes during Kelenic’s best season yet.
After two miserable years to start his career in Seattle, the 24-year-old outfielder is slashing .252/.320/.439 with 11 home runs — all career-best marks after he failed to hit .200 in the two years prior.
After an electric March and April in which Kelenic had a .982 OPS, he sputtered over the next couple of months, owning just a .588 OPS in June and .686 OPS in July.
But he had started to heat up recently, compiling a .381 on-base percentage through his last six games.
Kelenic does not need surgery but there is no timeline for his return, Root Sports reported.
“Nobody feels worse about it than Jarred does,” manager Scott Servais told the Seattle Times. “I think it’s a learning lesson for him and for all players. Players get frustrated when they’re not getting the results they’re looking for.
“But you’ve got to be able to control your emotions, it’s part of being a professional. Last night, he let it get the best of him and it affects all of us.”
Kelenic was taken in the first round of the 2018 draft by the Mets before the trade to Seattle.
He has hit 32 homers with 105 RBIs in 826 big league at-bats with the Mariners.
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