I know he’s still alive because, well, we would have heard something and while the closer’s market has picked up, his name remains buried. Doesn’t anyone want Kenley Jansen? We know one thing for sure, he’s not going back to Boston.
And it’s not like the Red Sox are sure of his replacement. It looks like they have three. Liam Hendricks, newly aquired Aroldis Chapman and holdover Justin Slaten all seem to be in the running to take over the final inning.
Jansen’s first twelve big league seasons were in a Dodgers uniform, He was the team’s full time closer from 2012-2021 which included a world series championship in 2020.
Positive 2024 season
After a decent year with the Braves where he led the league in saves with forty-one Jansen moved on to Fenway in 2023. It’s not like he’s coming off a bad season with the Red Sox, his second with the team.
He had a respectable 3.29 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. The 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings was however the lowest of his career, the twenty-seven saves ran his career total to four hundred and forty-seven which ranks fourth all time.
Free agent closers have found their way to new stadiums. Tanner Scott to Jansen’s old team in Los Angeles. The Blue Jays are said to be handing over the closer’s role to their free agent signee and former Philly Jeff Hoffman.
Everyone wants Carlos Estévez
Everywhere you look you can find a rumour connecting another former Phillie Carlos Estévez. Just add Cincinnati to the list that has included the Blue Jays, the Tigers, the Cubs, well you get the idea.
#Reds are reportedly in talks for free agent closer Carlos Estévez.
The 32-year old RHP had a 2.45 ERA in 54 games in 2024 between the Phillies and Angels. Estévez was an All-Star in 2023 and has 82 career MLB saves. pic.twitter.com/Ufos8GKjsZ
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) January 23, 2025
The Dodgers are also expected to sign former Texas Rangers reliever Kirby Yates who’s coming off a terrific season closing for the Texas Rangers.
Where’s Kenley Jansen’s name? If google can’t find out, who can?
Several teams it seems would rather give up something than get Jansen for just straight up cash as the end of the week was filled with Houston’s eighth inning guy Ryan Pressly’s name everywhere.
The Cubs want Pressly. the Tigers want him and so do others but he has no trade rights as a ten and five player. (Ten seasons, five with the same team). He won’t go East or West he says. So the Cubs wait to hear.
Meanwhile Jansen waits to hear anything. There are closer openings: The White Sox, Rangers, Nationals, Marlins, Diamondbacks or even the Rockies. Perhaps one of them has heard of Jansen.
