Kenley Jansen has flashed his All-Star form while chasing history
Photo Credit: Mitchell Leff/ Getty Images
After the bullpen was a liability in 2022, the Red Sox set out to make it a strength during the winter. That led to the additions of veterans such as Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen. While Martin has impressed during the first six weeks of the season, Jansen is proving to be the closer this team was missing and exceeded expectations.
In the offseason, the Red Sox Jansen signed to a two-year deal worth $ 32 million. Six weeks into Jansen’s tenure with his new team, he has been nearly unhittable, with a 0.84 ERA in 11 appearances. He has struck out 16 batters while holding opponents to a .220 batting average. However, Jansen’s impact goes beyond the box score.
The former Dodger has converted eight of his nine save opportunities and provided the Red Sox with a lockdown option in the ninth. Unlike last year the Red Sox can feel confident handing a lead over to the bullpen with Jansen waiting to close things out. Even when he has allowed runners to reach, the Curaçaoan native has kept them from scoring. That has put him on the verge of reaching a significant career milestone.
Entering play on Tuesday, the three-time NL-All-Star has 399 career saves. That is the seventh most in baseball history. Billy Wagner has the sixth most with 422, and Jansen should surpass that mark in a Red Sox uniform. In his 13th MLB season, he is showing no signs of slowing down.
While the 2023 campaign is far from over, Jansen’s value has been on full display. At this point last season, the Red Sox had already blown eight saves and been walked off four times. Jansen has blown one save, but the Red Sox were still able to win that game. Due to the performance of their closer, the Red Sox have been able to avoid bullpen meltdowns and devastating losses, which became a theme in 2022.
As the Red Sox look to continue their hot start, Jansen will be crucial. He has flashed his All-Star form and embraced the high expectations that come with playing in Boston. With a lights-out closer in the bullpen, the Red Sox have been one of the best teams in the American League and surprised many in baseball.
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