Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen reported to camp today—as first reported by Pedro Moura of The Athletic—rejoining his team after a positive test for COVID-19 prevented him from participating in Dodgers workouts to this point. It was previously unknown why Jansen had yet to arrive at Dodger Stadium, but he confirmed today that he indeed tested positive for the virus. Evidently, he has since passed the two tests necessary to permit him to return to action.
Jansen told reporters including MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick that he expects to be ready for the Dodgers’ July 23 matchup with the Giants to kick off the season. With Opening Day less than two weeks away, that seems like an ambitious goal for a pitcher who has thus far been unable to train with his team in Spring Training 2.0, but the build-up to game shape might be less steep for a bullpen pitcher like Jansen, who’s been throwing consistently during the baseball stoppage.
Should Jansen need more to time to recover, the Dodgers’ deep bullpen should give them options to deploy in the ninth inning in place of Jansen: Joe Kelly and Blake Treinen are accomplished veteran relievers who could pick up the slack for a time.
Jansen, 32, has dealt with heart issues in the past, though he’s said that those problems have not influenced his intent to play in the shortened 2020 season. Last year was arguably Jansen’s worst season since arriving in MLB in 2010. For the better part of a decade, he was one of the most dominant relievers in the sport, though declining velocity has troubled him in recent years. As 2020 gets underway, we will cross our fingers for a healthy, bounce-back season from Jansen.
curious to see who picks up the slack
Read the article over the headline he’s good now
yeah but is he up to speed yet? id imagine probably, but it’s not a given.
It doesn’t take a RP that long to get up to speed. Only really need a few bullpens and a live BP or two.
The Dodgers have a bunch of closer options that are frankly more promising than Jansen at this point in his career.
Name them. Give your statement some actual credibility.
Interesting choice of words “up to speed.” Too bad he’ll never be “up to speed” like he was a short few years ago. I wish he was, he’s a great closer but lack of speed has been a downward trend for him.
Read deficiency warning. All of them have already been mentioned.
You have an opinion or you don’t have an opinion. Put it out there. Give a thoughtful opinion for once.
Second and last reading deficiency warning.
Id go with KJ
Could we see a bounceback from Treinen? We saw Morrow make a big comeback in a Dodgers uniform a couple seasons back…
May would be fun as a closer, if anything just for the aesthetic.
Also, didn’t the Dodgers draft a solid closer this year?
Gotta see if May can handle being a starter first. If not he definitely has a fallback futute in the pen. Dude looks like a right handed Hader.
The dodgers are very cautious with young arms and would not drastically change a top prospect’s work schedule for a couple weeks of baseball when they have Treinen or Kelly who could close in the meantime.
Is George Miller a real MLBTR writer or an LA Dodger flak?
What’s with “As 2020 gets underway, we will cross our fingers for a healthy, bounce-back season from Jansen”?
Everyone wishes Jansen well, but sounds like someone whose head is fully inserted.
Sounds like the same thing they say relating to any player’s health status if you follow this site at all.
really man? angers you that much about how the guy writes?
not angered at all, just question “beat writers” posing as journalists
News is better than views
Most fans want to see great players play great. You don’t have to be a homer to want to see Jansen pitch well
You are posing as intelligent. What is the difference?
Well Simon, it’s simple.
So wait. He tested positive. Then got 2 negatives. Now he’s positive again? Is that how I read that?
he confirmed that he had previously tested positive, not that he currently was
Currently is, not was.
He tested negative twice and has been cleared to play.
I, too, wonder if he has time to get up to speed by the season’s start but the Dodger’s have depth to cover the closer role.
Kenley getting Covid had to have been quite worrisome with his heart issues in the past. Glad he’s recovered
The wording on this headline confused me
With his heart condition, he was the first player I thought of who was taking the biggest risk of playing this season. Glad to see he’s doing okay.
Jansen relates his family’s experience dealing with the virus.
“It is real,” Jansen said of the new coronavirus after experiencing several symptoms during the three-week ordeal. “Everyone in the world, take it serious. Wear your mask at all times, if you can. Because, trust me, it happens so fast. Once my son got it, I’ve seen how fast it can spread. We tried to do everything, but we all got it in the house.”
latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2020-07-12/dodger…
He’s also had previous medical issues. Please refrain from posting nothing-burger stories without providing a real point. Not to invalidate your feelings but why should we care how you feel if you don’t have an actual point?