In their first step toward lining up personnel for the 2026 season, the Atlanta Braves removed five players from the 40-man roster, including outfielder Jarred Kelenic and right-hander Dane Dunning.
The Braves also removed right-hander Alexis Diaz, catcher Sandy Leon and utility man Luke Williams from the 40-man roster and outrighted all five players to Triple-A Gwinnett. The Athletic reported on Wednesday afternoon that Kelenic, Diaz and Dunning have officially elected to become free agents.
Kelenic, 26, was a first-round draft pick by the New York Mets in 2018 who has batted .211 with a .658 OPS in five seasons with the Seattle Mariners (2021-23) and Braves. He hit a career-best 15 home runs with 45 RBIs in 131 games with the Braves in 2024 but spent most of this season at Triple-A Gwinnett.
Dunning, 30, was a first-round pick by the Washington Nationals in 2016, going 28-32 with a 4.44 ERA in 136 major league appearances (102 starts) in six seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2020), Texas Rangers (2021-25) and Braves.
Diaz, who turned 29 on Sunday, was an All-Star in 2023 for the Cincinnati Reds, but bounced between three major league teams this season while delivering an 8.15 ERA in 17 2/3 innings. Leon, 36, is a career .207 hitter over 559 games in 13 major league seasons for seven different clubs, while Williams, 29, is a career .212 hitter in 221 games over five seasons for five clubs.
