Kenley Jansen
Breakdown
Performance
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April 1, 2026
Blows save Tuesday
Jansen blew the save in Tuesday's 7-5 loss to the Diamondbacks, allowing a run on a hit while striking out one in one-third of an inning.
Analysis
The veteran right-hander was called upon to preserve the Tigers' one-run lead with runners on the corners and two outs in the eighth inning, but he instead served up a three-run homer to rookie Jose Fernandez. Jansen punched out the next batter he faced to end the frame, but the damage was done. The 38-year-old is now 1-for-2 in save chances to begin the year, and Tuesday's outing isn't likely to affect his job security as Detroit's closer, barring additional struggles.
March 28, 2026
Strikes out side for save
Jansen struck out three batters in a perfect inning to earn the save in Friday's 5-2 win over the Padres.
Analysis
The Tigers earned the lead with an eighth-inning rally, and Jansen did his job in the ninth, throwing 10 of 11 pitches for strikes. Jansen did well on a bad Angels team last year, racking up 29 saves while pitching to a 2.59 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 57:19 K:BB over 59 innings. Jansen doesn't have the elite strikeout numbers he used to, but he's still capable of closing, and he should get plenty of opportunities with a Detroit team that will challenge for the top spot in the AL Central. Will Vest and Kyle Finnegan are veteran options to step into the ninth inning if necessary, but Jansen figures to get the majority of the save chances as long as his performance is good.