Angels' Kenley Jansen Opens Up on Mental Struggles of Being a Closer

Apr 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74) reacts after getting the final out during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Angels right-handed pitcher Kenley Jansen is an MLB veteran of 16 seasons, and he believes mindset plays a big role in his prolific career as a closer.

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“To me, being a closer is 90% mental,” Jansen said to The Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher. “How are you going to show you can bounce back? You shut the door, shut the door, shut the door. When you have one hiccup, people want to see how you’re going to bounce back.”

Jansen has a 6.55 ERA and 1.455 WHIP across 11 innings pitched this season. While every outing hasn't been ideal, the right-hander has been much more collected following a poor performance than in previous years.

The most recent example was on May 2 against the Detroit Tigers, Jansen gave up six earned runs (three homers) across 0.2 innings. It was something he had never done in his career up until that point.

However, Jansen quickly shook it off and said he was able to do so because he's much more mature.

“I like this new me more than the young, insecure Kenley, with really good stuff, punching tickets left and right,” he said. “Compared to now, I feel I’m more mature and know how to deal with it. I wish I could have had this in my younger days, but sometimes things have to happen for you to develop and become more mature.”

While physical training is obviously necessary, Jansen said his mind is equally important to work on.

“It’s just like eating,” Jansen said. “You get big. Then you have to exercise and eat healthy to lose weight. You gotta do the same thing with your brain. … Sometimes you’ve got to exercise your brain, to flush it and stay lean. That’s what I do.”

Jansen will return to Dodger Stadium, a place he spent 12 seasons competing at, as the Angels closer Friday. There were rumblings that Jansen's days as a closer were behind him, but mental training helped keep the right-hander's mindset in a healthy place.

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