Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen had an abysmal outing Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies, and he thinks a comebacker that hit him to start off the ninth inning had everything to do with it.
Jansen entered the contest with an 8-6 lead but was struck by a liner off the bat of Adam Haseley, his first batter of the frame. While the former All-Star recovered in time to get the out at first, he then gave up four straight hits, including a walkoff double by Bryce Harper to give Philly the 9-8 win.
After the game, Jansen told reporters that his foot went “numb” and that he could not push off after being hit.
“I’m not an excuses guy,” he said, per Bill Plunkett of the OC Register. “But I should have come out of the game.”
Jansen was checked out on the mound by trainers after the Haseley play but ultimately stayed in. That said, the 31-year-old, who has now blown four saves on the season, has himself said that the Dodgers bullpen deserves criticism, so it’s not like Tuesday’s disaster was an isolated performance.
