Kenley Jansen Wants Dodgers to Make One Tweak to Jackie Robinson Day Uniform

Tom Dierberger | May 22, 2024

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Kenley Jansen celebrates a win over the Minnesota Twins earlier this month. / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Kenley Jansen spent 12 seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen closing out games while wearing his No. 74 jersey.

Once every April, however, Jansen would join the rest of the league by wearing No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day, MLB's annual holiday to honor a legend who changed the game forever.

When that day rolls around in 2025, Jansen—now pitching for the Boston Red Sox—would like the Dodgers to go one step further.

"It's unbelievable," Jansen said on the Flippin' Bats Podcast. "That feeling, I think it's a feeling that [you have] only when you wear that uniform. Even though I'm not playing for the Dodgers no more, I always say the LA Dodgers should wear that Brooklyn hat on '42' days."

"The LA @Dodgers should wear that Brooklyn Dodgers hat on '42' days."

Despite now playing for a different team, the importance of wearing that No. 42 Dodgers jersey is not lost on @kenleyjansen74 🙌 pic.twitter.com/KU1fznSCbU

— Flippin' Bats Podcast (@FlippinBatsPod) May 22, 2024

Robinson, of course, became the first African American to play in MLB when he made his debut April 15, 1947 against the Boston Braves. He spent his entire 10-year MLB career with the Brooklyn Dodgers before hanging up the cleats in 1956. Two years later, the Dodgers moved across the country to Los Angeles.

"Representing Jackie Robinson—it's phenomenal," Jansen said. "The feeling you have while wearing that uniform, I probably won't feel it no more in any other uniform."