Kenley Jansen
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Kenley Geronimo Jansen (born September 30, 1987) is a
Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coa ...
an professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
for the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
of
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
and
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
. Signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent in 2004, Jansen converted from a
catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the cat ...
to a
relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weat ...
in the minor leagues, and made his major league debut in 2010. He served as the Dodgers' closer since 2012, and led the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL) in saves in 2017. After 11 years in the major leagues with the Dodgers, he entered free agency and signed a one-year deal with the Braves. Jansen is a three-time
MLB All-Star The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
and two-time NL Reliever of the Year (2016, 2017). In 2019, Jansen became the 30th pitcher to reach 300 career saves.


Early life

Jansen was born in
Willemstad Willemstad ( , ; ; en, William Town, italic=yes) is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was the capital of the Netherlands Antilles pr ...
,
Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coa ...
, the youngest of three sons of Isidor and Bernadette Jansen. His father worked in construction until suffering a stroke when Kenley was 12; his mother is a travel agent. Jansen grew up as a Braves fan, because the team's games were broadcast in Curaçao on TBS. The team later signed fellow Curaçaoan
Andruw Jones Andruw Rudolf Jones (; born April 23, 1977) is a Curaçaoan former baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Atlanta Braves. Jones also played for the Los Angeles Dodg ...
and Jansen's older brother Ardley. Kenley Jansen began playing baseball at the age of six, alongside his brothers. He began as an outfielder before moving to shortstop. Jansen then met
Andrelton Simmons Andrelton A. Simmons (born September 4, 1989) is a Curaçaoan professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, and Chicago Cubs. D ...
, and was shifted to third base. He later played first base and catcher.


Baseball career


Minor leagues

Jansen was signed as an undrafted free agent
catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the cat ...
by the Dodgers organization on November 17, 2004, and was assigned to the Rookie Class
Gulf Coast Dodgers The Arizona Complex League Dodgers are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. The team is compo ...
, where he played in 37 games and hit .304 before being promoted to the
Ogden Raptors The Ogden Raptors are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Ogden, Utah and play their home games at Lindquist Field. Pitcher ...
of the Pioneer League on August 26. He had two hits in 11 at-bats in three games for Ogden. He was back with the Gulf Coast team the following season, hitting .245 in 35 games. After the season he played for the
North Shore Honu The North Shore Honu were a minor league baseball team in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league. They were based in Waipahu, Hawaii. The name ''honu'' is the Hawaiian word for sea turtle. They played their home games at the Hans L'Orange Field. No ...
in the
Hawaii Winter Baseball Hawaii Winter Baseball (HWB), based in Honolulu, Hawaii, was a professional baseball league in the Hawaiian islands. It was loosely affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB). History The HWB league first began play in 1993. Funded by Major ...
League, where he hit .121 in nine games. Jansen split 2007 between the Raptors and the Class-A
Great Lakes Loons The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007. Histor ...
of the
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganiza ...
, hitting .207 in 73 games. After the season, he again played in Hawaii Winter Baseball, this time for the
West Oahu CaneFires The West Oahu CaneFires were a minor league baseball team in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league. They were based in Waipahu, Hawaii. The name CaneFires is derived from the burning of sugar cane before harvest on many plantations on the island of O ...
In 2008 with the Loons, he hit .227 and 9 home runs in 79 games. He was selected to the mid-season Midwest League All-Star game. In 2009, he was the starting catcher for the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
team in the
World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Leagu ...
. In the Netherlands' upset of the favored
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
team, Jansen threw out
Willy Taveras Willy Taveras (born December 25, 1981) is a Dominican former professional baseball player. A center fielder, Taveras has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. Pr ...
on an attempted steal of third base in the ninth inning, a key play in the game. He began 2009 with the
Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The 66ers are based in San Bernardino, California, and play at San Manuel Stadium. Franchis ...
, but hit just .202 in 38 games. Despite that, he appeared in eight games for the Triple-A
Albuquerque Isotopes The Albuquerque Isotopes are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They play home games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an e ...
, but had just five hits in 27 at-bats. The Dodgers convinced Jansen that he had no future at catcher because of his poor offensive numbers and that he should switch to pitching. Under the tutelage of former major leaguer
Charlie Hough Charles Oliver Hough (; born January 5, 1948) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) knuckleball pitcher and coach who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and Florida Marlins from 1970 to 1994. P ...
, he made the conversion in the second half of the 2009 season at Inland Empire. He pitched innings for the 66ers, allowing six earned runs. He continued the conversion in the
Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fille ...
for the
Peoria Javelinas The Peoria Javelinas are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Javelinas play their home games in the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona. The ballpark is also the spring training facility for the S ...
. Jansen was added to the Dodgers 40-man roster on November 19, 2009. He started with Inland Empire again and allowed only five runs in 18 innings while striking out 28 batters. On May 15, 2010, he was promoted to the Double-A
Chattanooga Lookouts The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...
, where he was selected to the mid-season
Southern League All-Star Game The Southern League All-Star Game was an annual baseball game sanctioned by Minor League Baseball between professional players from the teams of the Double-A Southern League. Each division, North and South, fielded a team composed of players in ...
. He pitched 27 innings in 22 games for the Lookouts, with a 1.67 ERA.


Los Angeles Dodgers (2010–2021)


2010

On July 23, 2010, Jansen was promoted to the Dodgers. He made his Major League debut in relief on July 24 against the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...
, where he pitched a scoreless inning, retiring all three batters he faced and striking out two. On July 25, Jansen recorded his first Major League save, when he pitched a 1-2-3 inning against the Mets. On August 26, Jansen walked and scored a run in his first Major League plate appearance, at Miller Park in
Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
against Yovani Gallardo of the Brewers and collected his first major league hit on August 31, at
Dodger Stadium Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ...
. The hit was a single up the middle against Kyle Kendrick of the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. Jansen recorded his first win against the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after s ...
on September 11 in
Minute Maid Park Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 ...
. He appeared in 25 games with the Dodgers in 2010, working 27 innings with a 1–0 record and a 0.67 ERA. He also saved four games in 2010.


2011

In 2011, Jansen became a key member of the Dodgers' bullpen. He was 2–1 with a 2.85 ERA in innings and saved five games. Jansen also struck out 96 batters, setting a new Major League season record with strikeouts per nine innings.


2012

In May 2012, Jansen became the Dodgers' closer after Javy Guerra struggled in the role. At the end of the season, after missing some time due to
heart problems Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...
, Jansen was replaced as closer by Brandon League. He appeared in 65 games, compiling a 5–3 record, 2.35 ERA, 99 strikeouts and 25 saves.


2013

Jansen began 2013 as the setup man in the bullpen but resumed the role as closer when League struggled. He was in 75 games with a 4–3 record, 1.88 ERA and 28 saves. He did not allow any runs, in three appearances in the 2013 National League Division Series (NLDS) against the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
but was less effective in the Championship Series (NLCS) against the
Cardinals Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
, allowing two runs in two innings.


2014

On February 11, 2014, Jansen avoided his first arbitration hearing by signing a $4.3 million contract with the Dodgers. Fully established as the Dodgers' closer in 2014, Jansen worked in 68 games with a 2.76 ERA, 101 strikeouts and 44 saves. He became just the fourth Dodger pitcher in history with 40+ saves in a season, joining Éric Gagné (who did it three times),
Todd Worrell Todd Roland Worrell (born September 28, 1959) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played all or part of eleven seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball, serving as those team ...
and
Jeff Shaw Jeffrey Lee Shaw (born July 7, 1966) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox of the American League (AL), and the Montreal Expos, Cinci ...
. Jansen only pitched one inning in the
NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against the Cardinals.


2015

On January 16, 2015, he again avoided arbitration by signing a one-year $7.425 million contract with the Dodgers. However, on February 17, he underwent surgery to remove a growth from a bone in his left foot. The recovery time kept him out of action until May. Jansen was eventually activated off the disabled list on May 15 and rejoined the Dodgers roster. Jansen struck out 23 batters in his first 14 games of the season, without giving up a single walk. This broke
Jay Howell Jay Canfield Howell (born November 26, 1955) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds (1980), Chicago Cubs (1981), New York Yankees (1982–1984), Oakland Athletics (1985–1987), Los Angeles Dodgers (1988–1992), ...
's team records (set in the
1991 season File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, 1991 Russian presidential election, elected as Russia's first President of Russia, president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated ...
) of 13 games without a walk to start a season and 20 strikeouts without a walk to start a season. He wound up striking out 27 before he finally walked a batter on June 30, eight shy of the major league record. He made 54 appearances for the team in 2015 with a 2.41 ERA and 36 saves. He also struck out 80 batters, while only walking 8 all season. He became the first Dodgers pitcher with five seasons of 80 or more strikeouts in relief. He appeared in three games, with two saves in the
2015 NLDS The 2015 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams in the 2015 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded 1-3) and a fourth team—the winner of a one-ga ...
and did not allow a run in innings. In his final year of arbitration, Jansen signed a one-year, $10.65 million, contract with the Dodgers on January 15, 2016.


2016

On June 20, 2016, Jansen picked up his 162nd career save against the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, breaking the all-time franchise record held by Éric Gagné. He was also selected to the National League team for the
2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 87th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The game was hosted by the San Diego Padres and was played at Petco Park on July 12, 2016. It was televised nationally on Fox. The A ...
, his first all-star selection. On August 24, 2016, Jansen tied Jim Brewer's franchise record for strikeouts by a reliever with the 604th of his career. In 71 games, he was 3–2 with a 1.83 ERA and 47 saves, earning him the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award. Of all MLB pitchers, he held right-handed batters to the lowest batting average, .107 (in 30 or more innings). In the 2016 NLDS against the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, Jansen pitched in four games and worked innings, allowing four runs and saving two games. In the 2016 NLCS against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
he pitched innings over three games, with one save, and struck out 10 while only allowing one hit.


2017

On January 10, 2017, the Dodgers announced the re-signing of Jansen to a five-year, $80 million contract. On June 11, he recorded his 200th career save against the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. On June 2, 2017, Jansen recorded his 36th strikeout of the season, setting an MLB season record for most strikeouts without giving up a walk. The previous record was held by
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
starting pitcher
Adam Wainwright Adam Parrish Wainwright (born August 30, 1981), nicknamed "Waino" and "Uncle Charlie", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Atlanta Braves selected him 29th overall in the ...
, who struck out 35 batters before giving up a walk in the 2013 season. The streak eventually reached 51 strikeouts before he recorded his first walk of the season on June 25 against the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...
. He was named to his second straight
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...
. Jansen pitched in 65 games for the Dodgers in 2017, with five wins, a 1.32 ERA, 109 strikeouts (with only seven walks) and 41 saves. For the second straight year, he was awarded with the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award. Jansen started the playoffs by finishing all three games of the Dodgers 2017 NLDS sweep of the Diamondbacks. He saved two of the games and did not allow an earned run in innings. He pitched innings over four games in the 2017 NLCS against the Cubs and did not allow a batter to reach base, while striking out eight. Jansen allowed two runs to score, including a solo homer by
Marwin González Marwin Javier González (born March 14, 1989) is a Venezuelan professional baseball utility player for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). González was signed as an international free agent by the Chicago Cubs in 2005. He ...
in Game Two of the
2017 World Series The 2017 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2017 season. The 113th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers and th ...
against the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after s ...
. It was his first blown save in the postseason and snapped his MLB record of converting his first 12 post-season save opportunities. In Game Five of the series, he picked up the loss in the Dodgers 10 inning defeat. In his second inning of work, he hit Brian McCann with two outs and then after a walk, he gave up a walk-off single to
Alex Bregman Alexander David Bregman (born March 30, 1994) is an American professional baseball third baseman and shortstop for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). As a high school sophomore at Albuquerque Academy in 2010, Bregman became the ...
. Overall, he pitched innings over six games, with two saves and three runs allowed as the Dodgers lost the series in seven games.


2018

Jansen was bothered by an injury during spring training and was slow-played after his 2017 workload, resulting in two blown saves during a shaky April. He turned it around in May, June and July and was chosen for his third straight
all-star game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...
in 2018. Jansen's heart problems resurfaced during a four-game set in Colorado, and Jansen was placed on the 10-day disabled list with an irregular heartbeat. He struggled upon returning, losing his first two games back and blowing a save in his third. He struggled for the rest of the season. He finished the season with a 1–5 record, 3.01 ERA and 38 saves. He was effective against
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
and
Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
in the postseason, not allowing a run, but again struggled in the
2018 World Series The 2018 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 2018 season. The 114th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Boston Red Sox and the National L ...
, blowing two save opportunities as he allowed game-tying home runs to
Jackie Bradley Jr. Jackie Bradley Jr. (born April 19, 1990), nicknamed "JBJ", is an American professional baseball right fielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays. Liste ...
in Game 3 (which went 18 innings) and Steve Pearce in Game 4 as the Dodgers lost the series to the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
in five games.


2019

On April 7, 2019, Jansen recorded a four-out save against the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...
at
Coors Field Coors Field is a baseball stadium in downtown Denver, Colorado. It is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. Opened in 1995, the park is located in Denver's Lower Downtown neighborhood, two blocks from Union Station. The ...
in
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. On May 3 and 4, Jansen converted saves against the San Diego Padres. But on May 5, pitching for the third day in a row, Jansen walked a batter and allowed two bunt singles to load the bases with no outs. He retired the next two hitters before he gave up a walk-off grand slam to
Hunter Renfroe Dustin Hunter Renfroe (born January 28, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, an ...
, as the Dodgers lost 8–5. Jansen recorded two extended saves in a series against the Mets, with a 5-out save in the first game of the series and a 4-out save in the fourth game. This was his first five-out save since June 2018 in Pittsburgh. He debuted the intentional
balk In baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. Most of these violations involve pitchers pretending to pitch when they have no intention of doing so. In games played under the Official Baseball R ...
in the top of the ninth against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
on June 15, 2019. The intentional balk was an idea he came up with bench coach
Bob Geren Robert Peter Geren (born September 22, 1961) is an American former professional baseball catcher and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (–) and San Diego Padres (). Geren managed the Oakland Athletics f ...
, in which he has a runner on second and two outs and balks the runner to third to prevent the runner from stealing signs. On September 25, in a game against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
, Jansen picked up his 300th career save, becoming the 30th pitcher all time and the first in Dodgers history. He pitched in 62 games, with a 5–3 record and 33 saves, but a career-high ERA of 3.71. In the 2019 NLDS, Jansen pitched to five batters and did not allow any of them to reach base.


2020

Jansen was late reporting to camp after the pandemic-imposed shutdown, suffering with a
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
infection, which affected his conditioning during the shutdown. He appeared in 24.1 innings over 27 games during the season, with a 3–1 record and a 3.33 ERA with 11 saves (3rd in the NL), while leading the National League with 24 games finished. Jansen pitched one scoreless inning in the first game of the
Wild Card Series The Wild Card Series (formerly known as Wild Card Game from 2012 to 2019 and in 2021) are games that serve as the opening round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason. A single wild card game was first instituted in 2012; best-of-three ...
to pick up the save and in the
NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
he allowed two runs to score in innings. He picked up a save and pitched three perfect innings over three games in the
NLCS The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
. In Game 4 of the
2020 World Series The 2020 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 2020 season. The 116th World Series was a best-of-seven-playoff between the American League (AL) champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League (NL) champion Los A ...
against the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
, Jansen blew his fourth career World Series save, setting a new World Series record.


2021

On August 25, Jansen became the twelfth reliever in MLB history to record 1,000 strikeouts by striking out
Austin Nola Austin Kyle Nola (born December 28, 1989) is an American professional baseball catcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Seattle Mariners. Nola was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
of the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
. Jansen finished the 2021 season with 38 saves, a 2.22 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 69 innings. In the National League Wild Card Game against the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
, he struck out three batters in a scoreless ninth inning to record the win and in the
2021 NLDS The 2021 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-games series in Major League Baseball (MLB) to determine the participating teams of the 2021 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners, seeded first through thir ...
, he struck out five of the six batters he faced in his two innings of work. In the
2021 NLCS The 2021 National League Championship Series was the best-of-seven series in Major League Baseball (MLB) between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers, for the National League pennant and the right to play in the 2021 World Series. The B ...
, played against the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
, Jansen, pitched in five of the six games, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out six and recording the save in Game 3.


Atlanta Braves (2022)

Jansen signed a one-year contract worth $16 million with the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
on March 18, 2022. He made his Braves debut on April 8, surrendering 3 earned runs in the 9th inning against the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
in a non-save situation. On April 19, Jansen returned to
Dodger Stadium Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ...
and was met with a mixture of cheers and boos from Dodger fans as he entered the game. He collected the save against his former team, retiring former Brave
Freddie Freeman Frederick Charles Freeman (born September 12, 1989) is an American-Canadian professional baseball first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, Freeman played for the Atlanta Braves for 12 seasons. He mad ...
for the final out of the game.


Boston Red Sox

On December 13, 2022, Jansen signed a two-year contract with the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
.


International career

Jansen has represented the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
at three of the four World Baseball Classic's. In 2009, he was the starting catcher for the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
team in the
World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Leagu ...
. In the Netherlands' upset of the favored
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
team, Jansen threw out
Willy Taveras Willy Taveras (born December 25, 1981) is a Dominican former professional baseball player. A center fielder, Taveras has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. Pr ...
on an attempted steal of third base in the ninth inning, a key play in the game. Jansen was a late addition to the
Netherlands national baseball team The Netherlands national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, representing the country in international men's baseball. They are currently ranked as the best team in the WBSC Europe, and the team is also ...
for the
2013 World Baseball Classic The 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, held from March 2 to March 19, 2013. This was the third iteration of the WBC, following the two previous tournaments, held in 2006 and 2009. Unlike t ...
, he had transitioned to pitching in late 2009, he was added to the roster for the semi-finals but did not appear in the game. After initially saying he would not pitch in the 2017 tournament, having signed a five-year $80 million contract with the
Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Broo ...
in the offseason, Jansen again joined the team when they advanced to the semi finals. Jansen appeared in the team's game against Team Puerto Rico, which including Dodgers teammate Kiké Hernandez. Jansen pitched a scoreless 9th inning, striking out two, but team Netherlands lost on a walk off sacrifice fly in the 11th inning.


Pitching style

Jansen relies almost exclusively on a
cut fastball In baseball, a cut fastball or cutter is a type of fastball that breaks toward the pitcher's glove-hand side, as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a four-seam fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slide ...
that mostly ranges from 90 to 94 miles per hour (mph). Earlier in his career, he was able to throw the pitch at 98 mph, and he exceeded 100 mph in 2014. In 2012, he used this pitch about 93% of the time. His other main pitch is a
slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series * ...
in the low to mid 80s. He experimented with a
changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
in the 2009–2011 seasons and debuted a
four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is c ...
at the end of the 2012 season. He now throws four-seamer 92–96. Jansen relies both on movement and exceptional command, throwing over 70% strikes. Jansen has recorded extremely high strikeout rates, garnering 14.6
strikeouts per 9 innings pitched In baseball statistics, strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9, SO/9, or SO/9IP) is the mean of strikeouts (or Ks) by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by multiplying the number of strikeouts by nine, and dividing by the nu ...
through the 2012 season. This is the second-highest total in history among pitchers who have thrown at least 140 innings (behind only
Craig Kimbrel Craig Michael Kimbrel (born May 28, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Chicag ...
).


Health issues

Jansen was diagnosed in 2011 with an
irregular heartbeat Arrhythmias, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, heart arrhythmias, or dysrhythmias, are irregularities in the heartbeat, including when it is too fast or too slow. A resting heart rate that is too fast – above 100 beats per minute in adults ...
(specifically, atrial fibrillation), and he missed some time that season while he was placed on
blood thinners Anticoagulants, commonly known as blood thinners, are chemical substances that prevent or reduce coagulation of blood, prolonging the clotting time. Some of them occur naturally in blood-eating animals such as leeches and mosquitoes, where the ...
to prevent clots. The problem resurfaced late in the 2012 season, and he again missed considerable time while being treated. On October 24, 2012, Jansen underwent a 3-hour
catheter ablation Catheter ablation is a procedure used to remove or terminate a faulty electrical pathway from sections of the heart of those who are prone to developing cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and Wolff-Parkinson-White syn ...
procedure in which Koonwalee Nademanee identified abnormal tissue in his
left atrium The atrium ( la, ātrium, , entry hall) is one of two upper chambers in the heart that receives blood from the circulatory system. The blood in the atria is pumped into the heart ventricles through the atrioventricular valves. There are two at ...
and cauterized it to stop it from generating abnormal electrical signals. Jansen suffered a recurrence of his irregular heartbeat prior to a game in
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
on August 9, 2018. He was placed on the 10-day disabled list and the team reported he would likely miss a month of the season. Doctors determined the condition could be controlled with medication until the offseason, so Jansen returned to the hill just 11 days later. However, the heart medication he took, which included beta blockers, had the side effects of leaving him feeling fatigued and unemotional. He gave up four home runs in his first two outings back, blowing both save opportunities, and after he protested the effects of his medication his doctors switched him to aspirin. Jansen stayed in Los Angeles when the Dodgers returned to Denver in September because he was at high risk of a stroke if he returned to elevation. Jansen completed the season and provided scoreless relief in seven of nine postseason appearances, allowing two runs in 10.2 innings (1.69 ERA). On November 26, 2018, Jansen underwent a -hour heart ablation procedure, again performed by Koonlawee Nademanee, in Los Angeles. After the procedure the doctor told Jansen that small veins near the site of his 2012 procedure had grown and were agitated by dehydration, which caused the irregular signals that occurred in Denver. Jansen dedicated himself to a healthier diet after recovering from the operation and reported to spring training 25 pounds lighter. He no longer has to take blood-thinning medication. On July 12, 2020, Jansen reported to summer training camp for the first time after recovering from
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
. In June 2022, Jansen again dealt with an irregular heartbeat.


Personal life

Jansen spends most of his off-season break back home in Curaçao. Kenley is married to a Curaçao native named Gianni Jansen - Fransisca. He has two daughters, Natalia Hannah Jansen, who was born on March 16, 2013, and Key’Gia Keziah Jansen born on September 12, 2021 and two sons, Kaden Isaiah Jansen, born on August 16, 2015, and Kyrian Jeremiah Jansen, born on August 22, 2018. He throws right-handed but writes with his left hand. A local team in Curaçao, the Wildcats, have renamed themselves in honor of Jansen, and competed in the Latin American Series as Wildcats KJ74.


See also

* List of Los Angeles Dodgers team records * List of Major League Baseball career games finished leaders * List of Major League Baseball career saves leaders * List of Major League Baseball players from the Netherlands Antilles * Los Angeles Dodgers award winners and league leaders


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jansen, Kenley 1987 births 2009 World Baseball Classic players 2013 World Baseball Classic players 2017 World Baseball Classic players Albuquerque Isotopes players Atlanta Braves players Baseball catchers Chattanooga Lookouts players Curaçao baseball players Curaçao expatriate baseball players in the United States Dutch people of Curaçao descent Great Lakes Loons players Gulf Coast Dodgers players Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino players Living people Los Angeles Dodgers players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from Curaçao National League All-Stars National League saves champions North Shore Honu players Ogden Raptors players People from Willemstad Peoria Javelinas players Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players West Oahu Canefires players