Kenley Jansen Moves Closer to 500 Saves as Tigers Claim Another Win
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The Detroit Tigers hosted the Kansas City Royals Tuesday night at Comerica Park, looking to climb back into the standings. Having swept the Miami Marlins right out of Detroit, the Tigers eyed a four-game win streak, their first of the season.
Framber Valdez was elite for the Tigers on the mound, though until late in the game, he was in line to take the loss, having allowed a run way back in the second inning. That pitching performance carried its way to Will Vest, which ultimately sparked the Detroit offense.
On the backs of Zack McKinstry, Kevin McGonigle, and Dillon Dingler, the Tigers took the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, setting the scene perfectly for future Hall of Fame closer Kenley Jansen.
Jansen Collects Historic Save
Stranding a runner at third base, Jansen nailed down the save for the Tigers, the 479th save of his career. That win for Detroit pushed Jansen into a sole position for third all-time amongst Major League Baseball closers in saves, passing Lee Smith and trailing only Mariano Rivera (651) and Trevor Hoffman (602).
KENLEY JANSEN.
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 15, 2026
3rd-most saves in MLB history ‼️ pic.twitter.com/6qEenaEdlf
Jansen might seem a ways away from the 500-club, but in reality, if the Tigers keep playing close games and make the playoffs, he could easily reach that feat sometime past the All-Star break. For Jansen to still be dealing as he has at his age, it's only solidifying his Hall of Fame candidacy after he retires.
Going into the season, it was unknown how Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was going to use the bullpen, but they did know they would have a three-headed monster in the likes of Jansen, Will Vest, and Kyle Finnegan. Now that we know who the main closer is, the right decision has been made.
Out of the current closing pitchers in the MLB today, only Craig Kimbrel (now of the New York Mets) and Aroldis Chapman (now of the Boston Red Sox) are the closest to Jansen in save status, as Kimbrel has 440 to his name and Chapman has 370.
Safe to say that Jansen's third-place status feels to be in a good spot for the next few years, as no one looks to be on the path to catching up. It was a gamble for the Tigers to sign Jansen, not knowing how much he had left in the tank after 2025's campaign, but it's surely paid off.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.