After two seasons with the Red Sox, Kenley Jansen is back on the free agent market. And despite celebrating his 37 birthday in September, he looks every bit as good as he did when he inked his two-year, $32 million deal with Boston in 2022.
Over 54 appearances this past season, Jansen pitched to a 3.29 ERA and an identical 3.29 xERA. He earned 27 saves in 31 chances. According to FanGraphs, he produced 1.4 Wins Above Replacement (fWAR), putting him among the top 25 relievers in the game.
Numbers like that would land him a lucrative new contract even if he weren’t the most consistently excellent reliever of his generation. In other words, he’s going to have plenty of leverage in negotiations this offseason.
It should be more than enough leverage to land him a closing job for a contender.
Jansen has made it clear he wants to close. This past summer, when it seemed like the Red Sox might trade him ahead of the deadline, he addressed the idea of joining a club where he wouldn’t be the closer. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea.
“I close ballgames, man. That’s what I’ve got to tell you,” he told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “I’m getting close to another milestone. I’m closing down, trying to get to 500 saves. That’s still very important to me.”
Jansen is only 31 saves away from tying Hall of Famer Lee Smith for third on the all-time list. He’s 53 away from 500.
Passing Trevor Hoffman in second place (601 saves) probably isn’t in the cards for Jansen, but it’s not completely out of the question just yet. After all, Hoffman only had 393 saves by the end of his age-36 season.
If Jansen continues to pitch into his forties, which he told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo he’d like to do, he could make things interesting.
What’s more, every save he adds to his career total will make it harder for BBWAA voters to leave him off their Hall of Fame ballots at some point down the line. It’s not hard to understand why he wants to close for as long as he possibly can.
Jansen has made it equally clear that he wants to pitch for a winner. When he addressed his pending free agency in September, he told Cotillo: “I want to be in a situation where we can contend for a title. That’s it.”
There’s nothing particularly unique about Jansen’s priorities. Most relievers would love a closing job. Everyone wants to play for a contender.
What sets Jansen apart is that he actually has the negotiating power to get everything that he wants – without having to compromise on salary, either.
Here are six teams that could sign Kenley Jansen this offseason.
New York Yankees
Cotillo reported earlier this year that the Yankees “made a serious run at Jansen” during the 2022-23 offseason before he ultimately signed with their rivals in Boston. Is there any reason they wouldn’t take a run at him again?
Luke Weaver took over closing duties in the Bronx at the end of the 2024 season. It was the cherry on top of his phenomenal season. However, he isn’t a lock to hold onto the closing job in 2025. In fact, he’s probably better suited for a fireman role in which manager Aaron Boone can deploy him in any spot.
That means the Yankees can sign a full-time closer. And after Clay Holmes’s turbulent season, one can see why they might like to sign the most consistent and dependable closer of this generation.
All things considered, New York is probably the best fit for Jansen. The Yankees have money to spend, saves to offer, and there is no doubt they’re going to be contenders in 2025.
Philadelphia Phillies
After losing Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez to free agency, it’s no secret the Phillies are looking for another back-end reliever this winter, most likely a righty. While plenty of fans are hoping for a reunion with Hoffman, Jansen is another realistic target to consider.
POBO Dave Dombrowski likes acquiring “saves guys” (think Estévez, Craig Kimbrel, David Robertson, etc.) and manager Rob Thomson likes having a set closer – even if he won’t admit it.
Furthermore, the Phillies, like the Yankees, are unquestionable contenders and certain to spend this offseason.
Arizona Diamondbacks
A thin bullpen let the Diamondbacks down at the end of the season. Their relievers had a league-worst 6.11 ERA in September.
It’s not that they didn’t have any talented arms. They just didn’t have enough. Thus, it makes sense that GM Mike Hazen is looking to add a “back-end bullpen guy” to replace Paul Sewald (per the Wolf & Luke show on Arizona Sports).
Whoever he signs will join A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez, Kevin Ginkel, Joe Mantiply, and Ryan Thompson as the higher-leverage arms in Arizona. Considering that Puk and Mantiply are left-handed, Hazen is probably looking for a righty. And considering that none of them has a ton of closing experience, a veteran like Jansen could be the perfect addition.
As a bonus for D-backs fans, imagine how much it would bother the Dodgers fanbase if Jansen played an integral role in helping the Diamondbacks topple the Dodgers dynasty.
Chicago Cubs
Porter Hodge was terrific as the Cubs’ closer down the stretch in 2024. He’s also 23 years old and only has 43.0 MLB innings under his belt. If the Cubs are serious about contending in 2025, another back-end bullpen arm should be at the top of Jed Hoyer’s offseason shopping list.
It’s also worth mentioning that Jansen could be a uniquely valuable mentor for Hodge. Hodge dealt with an elevated heart rate on the mound last season.
Jansen has also dealt with a heart condition throughout his career. Hodge’s condition isn’t the same, and there’s no reason to think it’s nearly as serious, but still, Jansen knows how to close out ballgames with a racing heart. That’s valuable knowledge he can potentially pass on to the 23-year-old Hodge.
Toronto Blue Jays
According to FanGraphs WAR, the Blue Jays had the least productive bullpen in baseball last season – by more than two whole wins. In fact, fWAR suggests the 2024 Blue Jays had the worst bullpen since the 2016 Cincinnati Reds.
That needs to change if Toronto is going to get back on track.
One of the many bullpen problems the Blue Jays dealt with was an uncharacteristically poor performance from Jordan Romano. After he struggled through the first two months of the year, an elbow injury ended his season in May.
The Blue Jays non-tendered Romano last week, officially opening up the closer job for next season.
A 74-88 record this past season means the Jays will have to convince Jansen they’re serious about contending in 2025. If they can do that, he’d be a great fit at the back of the ‘pen.
Texas Rangers
There isn’t a single team in Major League Baseball that needs a closer as badly as the Rangers. Texas ranked 26th in the majors in bullpen ERA and FIP this past season. That was before losing Kirby Yates, David Robertson, and José Leclerc to free agency.
As things stand, RosterResource has Roansy Contreras penciled in as the Rangers’ de facto closer. Roansy Contreras. Roansy Contreras. The same Roansy Contreras who couldn’t hold down a job in the Pirates or Angels bullpens in 2024.
The Rangers (78-84) were almost as pitiful as the Blue Jays in 2024. However, the 2023 World Series banner hanging at Globe Life Field should help GM Chris Young convince Jansen the Rangers are still contenders.
