By Jordan Long
The L.A. Dodgers are keeping closer Kenley Jansen. The deal is for 5 years, $80 million. It will pay Jansen $16 million a year. This is the second largest free agent reliever contract in MLB history behind Aroldis Chapman’s five year $86 million deal. What kind of contract is this for the Dodgers?
Jansen has been with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the past seven years. His first year in 2010 he saved 4 games with an ERA of 0.67. This was just a taste of what he could do at the Major League level. Jansen’s first full year of being the Dodgers’ closer was in 2012. That year he saved 25 games but blew seven of them, the most in his career. Last season Jansen was a reliable closer for Dodgers, saving 47 games but blowing 6 saves with an ERA of 1.83, helping the Dodgers win the National League West with a record of 91-71.
In the playoffs, Jansen appeared in 11.2 innings, saving three games with an ERA of 3.09. The Dodgers went all the way to the National League Championship Series before losing to the Chicago Cubs 4-2. Chicago went on to win the World Series.
Once the postseason run was over for the Dodgers, Jansen was a free agent. The Dodgers knew the top priority was to keep him in a Dodger uniform. Jansen is a closer that every team desires. He can go out in the 9th inning and throw strikes to shut the other team down. In the end, Jansen decided to stay with the Dodgers.
This is a decent move for the Dodgers. Jansen is the key for them to win games in the 9th inning. They know how valuable he is in the bullpen. Jansen’s pitching location is what makes him an excellent closer. He rarely leaves the ball up in the zone for a home run. Most of his pitches are low in the zone, which forces the batter to swing. The Dodgers are in great shape to not only win the National League West, but also go deep into the playoffs and maybe even a World Series trip with Jansen as the closer.
What do you think of the L.A. Dodgers keeping Kenly Jansen to a massive contract?
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