Jarred Kelenic wanted to talk about the big picture.
Kelenic was asked about this current hot streak Saturday, after he went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk in a win over the Pirates. The outfielder has excelled since being moved to the leadoff spot.
In 15 games since moving to the top spot in the batting order on June 15, Kelenic is hitting .328 (20-for-61), with five home runs, two doubles, 11 RBI and eight runs. He raised his season batting average from .259 to .278.
“I’m just having fun with these guys,” Kelenic said Saturday, when he hit a home run off the Pirates’ Paul Skenes on the third pitch of the game. “I feel like we have such a good group from top to bottom. I wake up and look forward to coming to the ballpark each and every day. I look forward to doing whatever I can to win that night with these guys.
“I enjoy the conversations we have in between innings, talking about our at-bats throughout the game and formulating a plan to try to beat that guy. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Just because I’m around such a talented group and we have so many similar things that we talk about and in the way that we think. It’s a very comforting and fun atmosphere when you are around guys that have that same mentality.”
Kelenic has homered five times over his last 15 games, dating to June 15 against the Rays. All nine of his home runs this season have come since May 7 (43 games), after going homerless through his first 26 games of the year.
“He’s doing good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “When you are doing good, you have fun. We you are going bad, you don’t have so much fun. He’s swinging the bat really well. It’s good to see.”
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