MLB Insider Confirms Trade Rumors Around Boston Red Sox Closer Kenley Jansen
The Boston Red Sox are "listening" to calls regarding All-Star closer Kenley Jansen, according to Jon Morosi.
Morosi went on MLB Network on Thursday to tackle a laundry list of hot stove stories, including a possible Jansen trade. Here is what he had to say about the potential of a deal, including who could be interested and what it would take to pry the reliever away from Boston:
"This is a very interesting story in the days before Spring Training opens for the Red Sox, basically a week from right now, is that Kenley Jansen reportedly is available. And I checked around in the industry in the last couple days to try to figure out just how real this story is and I was told the Red Sox are, in fact, listening on Jansen. But there has to be a second part of this. If you trade him, it's not just to trade him. It's because either A, Craig Breslow trying to bring in multiples of pitching back to replenish the depth of the Red Sox or that by clearing some of Jansen's salary, that they could potentially free up enough money to then make a play for one of the available free agents.
Now, the question is which teams could acquire Jansen right now. The quickest answer, and one that a lot of people in the industry think is at least somewhat viable, is the Dodgers because, of course, they know Jansen well, they've been very aggressive this offseason – as you may have heard – and they also want to continue adding more pitching to their bullpen. So if he moves, keep an eye on the team that he spent the vast majority of his career with. I would also mention one more team that's been somewhat quiet this offseason – the Phillies. The Phillies, of course, they brought back (Aaron) Nola, but for the most part, they have not really addressed the main reason why it was the Diamondbacks, and not themselves, who advanced to the World Series last year, and that's their bullpen.
So, again, Jansen is available. The Red Sox want either pitching back or the potential to reinvest some money in other pitching. And two teams to watch there, the Dodgers and the Phillies."
Trade rumors have been swirling around Jansen since last season, when the Red Sox were struggling and considered potential sellers at the deadline. Their front office held onto their veterans through the summer, however, and Boston wound up finishing dead last in the AL East at 78-84.
Jansen signed a two-year, $32 million contract with the Red Sox last offseason. He is due $16 million in 2024, which is the same salary he has had for the previous seven years.
The 36-year-old closer played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2010 to 2021, then the Atlanta Braves in 2022. Over the course of his 14-year MLB career, Jansen is 45-34 with a 2.52 ERA, 0.956 WHIP, 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings, a 20.5 WAR and 420 saves.
Last season in Boston, Jansen went 3-6 with a 3.63 ERA, 1.276 WHIP, 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings, a 0.8 WAR and 29 saves. His numbers got inflated from a small handful of poor outings, though, as he still managed to earn a spot in the All-Star Game for the fourth time in his career.
The Dodgers are currently projected to enter 2024 with Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol and Joe Kelly as their late-inning options. All three are right-handed pitchers, as is Jansen.
The Philadelphia Phillies, meanwhile, lost Craig Kimbrel to the Baltimore Orioles via free agency earlier this offseason. That leaves lefty José Alvarado as Philadelphia's likely Opening Day closer.
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