38-year-old Kenley Jansen is getting a chance to compete for another World Series title.
The veteran MLB reliever Jansen has agreed to a deal with the Detroit Tigers in free agency, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported on Saturday. Jansen’s deal is reportedly for one year and $11 million and also has a club option for 2027.
Jansen, a four-time MLB All-Star and a two-time NL saves leader, spent the first 12 seasons of his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and won a World Series ring with them in 2020. He then went on to pitch for the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Angels.
Last season for the Angels, Jansen was surprisingly stellar, albeit on a team where save opportunities were few and far between. Jansen went 5-4 with a 2.59 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP through 62 total relief appearances. He also logged 29 saves in 30 opportunities (but did struggle at times when called on during non-save situations).
As for the Tigers, they are very much in the title hunt after winning 87 games last season and very narrowly losing to the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS. Detroit also has extra incentive to compete in 2026 given that it is ace pitcher Tarik Skubal’s final guaranteed year under contract.
While Will Vest was decent last year as the Tigers’ closer, he did blow seven total saves, and now Detroit will have another option in the ninth inning in Jansen, who leads all active MLB players with 476 career saves. On top of that, the Tigers also just signed another All-Star reliever to a new deal.
