Dec. 13: The Sox have made it official, announcing the signing. Infielder Hoy Park was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
Dec. 7, 11:03am: Jansen will be paid an even $16MM in each season of the contract, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.
9:35am: The Red Sox are in agreement on a two-year, $32MM contract with free-agent right-hander Kenley Jansen, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan (Twitter link). The Wasserman client becomes the third free-agent reliever to sign in Boston this winter, joining righty Chris Martin and lefty Joely Rodriguez in what’s becoming a rapidly overhauled bullpen.
Kenley Jansen” width=”200″ height=”300″ />
Change was necessary in the Boston ’pen, however, as Red Sox relievers logged the fifth-worst ERA in baseball (4.59) and ninth-worst FIP (4.13) — due in no small part to combining for the fifth-highest walk rate of any relief corps in MLB. The ninth inning, in particular, was a revolving door for the Sox in 2022. Nine different relievers recorded saves, and righties John Schreiber, Tanner Houck and Matt Barnes finished the season in a three-way tie for the team lead, at eight apiece.
Jansen, nine saves away from 400 in his illustrious career, should bring some much-needed stability to the situation. The 35-year-old’s velocity is down a couple miles per hour from its 2014 peak, but he’s managed to find plenty of success even as his deadly cutter has faded from an average of nearly 95 mph to a 92.2 mph average with the Braves in 2022.
It was just a one-year stay in Atlanta for Jansen, who’d spent the prior 12 seasons of his big league career with the Dodgers, but the results were strong. Jansen saved 41 games and pitched to a 3.38 ERA with even better secondary marks: a 32.7% strikeout rate, an 8.5% walk rate and a 2.76 SIERA, to name a few. That walk rate, in particular, marked a pronounced rebound from an uncharacteristic spike to 12.9% in 2021, which now looks more like an anomaly than the start of a worrying trend.
Jansen’s 2022 season wasn’t without its red flags. Last season’s 11.4% swinging-strike rate was a career-low by a full two percentage points and clocked in 3.9 percentage points south of his 15.3% career mark. He also required a stint on the injured list due to an irregular heartbeat for the fourth time in his career. Jansen has had a pair of cardiac ablation procedures in hopes of finally putting the heart issues behind him. While it seems he’s not entirely clear of the longstanding issue, it’s also encouraging that he returned in the minimum 15 days this time around.
The 2022 season marked Jansen’s 13th season in the Majors, all of which have resulted in an ERA of 3.71 or lower (including nine sub-3.00 campaigns and four sub-2.00 seasons). Despite the brief absence due to his heartbeat issue, the otherwise-durable Jansen topped 60 innings in nine of the past ten full, 162-game seasons. It’s fair to say that he’s gone from virtually unbeatable in his 20s to “merely” excellent in his 30s, but Jansen still possesses a 3.08 ERA in 292 innings since turning 30.
A deepened relief corps with newly signed veterans allows the Red Sox to more confidently give some key young arms a look in the rotation. Garrett Whitlock has oscillated between starting and relieving, but the organization plans to use him as a starter in 2023, GM Brian O’Halloran said earlier in the offseason. Fellow righty Tanner Houck could also get a look in the rotation, O’Halloran added, though no formal decision has been announced on that front. In all likelihood, his role will depend on the manner in which the Sox are able to either bolster the starting rotation and/or further deepen the bullpen.
The Red Sox paid the luxury tax by a narrow margin in 2023, but with the potential departures of Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha, Rich Hill and Matt Strahm (who’s reportedly nearing a deal with the Phillies), Boston’s current luxury projection is nearly $60MM shy of the first-tier tax threshold — even including the salaries of newcomers Jansen, Martin and Rodriguez. Boston had more money coming off the books than nearly any team in the sport this winter, and as things stand, they’re more than $70MM from their franchise record for Opening Day payroll.
In that respect, the deluge of near-misses the Sox have had in free agency thus far are extra discouraging. The Red Sox made a three-year offer to Jose Abreu before he signed in Houston, for instance, and they reportedly believed they were close to a three-year, $40MM deal with righty Zach Eflin before he the Florida native the same contract with his home-state Rays. Boston has also reportedly made offers to Andrew Heaney and Tommy Kahnle before they agreed to deals with the Rangers and Yankees, respectively, and the Sox had talks with the Brewers about Kolten Wong before he was traded to the Mariners.
Frustrating as it must be for both the front office and fan base to see so many pursuits come up empty-handed, the Sox are still sporting as much financial firepower as any team on the market. Bringing Jansen into the fold gives the Sox a strong end-of-the-game presence, as he can join Martin and Schreiber in handling high-leverage spots next season. There’s still work to be done in the rotation and in the lineup, and Boston continues to pursue a reunion with Bogaerts as well as a possible extension with third baseman Rafael Devers. Jansen checks one notable item off chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom’s to-do list, but expect plenty of additional activity from the Sox as they look to leverage their considerable financial resources.
Sox finally make a decent move. Idk about the cost but kudos either way.
I mean Martin was a good move IMO
whoops must have missed that signing. nice to see them taking their bullpen situation seriously
How much did it help Chris Martin stats pitching for the dodgers we will see I guess
tstats – Isn’t it more fair to say the Martin move “isn’t a bad move”. Martin won’t win us a division, he won’t move us out of 5th in the division but overall he’s not as bad as many of Bloom’s choices so its fair to say it’s not a bad move and that is greatly appreciated when it comes to Bloom’s moves!!
Signing Bogaerts, JD or Eovaldi would be good moves. Signing ANY impact player would be a good move. Story and Jansen are the only all-star quality players signed by Bloom in 3 years. During that time period Boston has lost Mookie, Benny, Renfroe and Schwarber. Talent is down and Martin doesn’t really tip the scale much in the other direction but at least he doesn’t make things worse!!
You realize Jansen can’t hold a runner on base?
And you realize that he has been and continues to be one of the best and most consistent relievers in the game for a almost 1.5 decades? No pitcher is perfect but at the end of the day Kenley gets results.
Led MLB in blown saves — and that was with a good defense and the shift. He’ll get you your saves, along with more than his share of blown saves. To his credit, he’s able to rebound. It’ll be interesting after the first couple of bad outings how he responds to the BOS crowd/media — as that could get ugly fast.
Ya, he has been pretty shaky the last few years. I don’t understand this move.
Stop it he’s on the decline
Everyone says Chris Martin great signing with 2 years lights out but low innings at 36 years old 2 guys pushing 40 years old ya awesome signings
Rebound at 35 years old and losing 3 mph on his fastball hardly unlikely
Absolutely on the decline but the bigger question is why 2 years when the Red Sox are more than that away from being better than a 5th place finish in the division?
Bloom’s thinking (is that an oxymoron?) must be that he’s going to spend the $130MM available to him and improve the talent level of the team, otherwise, why do this? To keep fans fooled into thinking he’s making progress in his 10 year rebuild plan? Like Story this appears to be a “token” move to show he is doing things to improve the problem areas of the team and position them for winning. Wait 2 year deal? Winning in that time frame doesn’t seem likely unless he has lots more up his sleeve. Something we haven’t seen since he arrived.
IF he was Dombrowki, then we could expect him to spend the $130MM available on all-star quality players but he’s Bloom, we are going to get dozens and dozens of Martin type players and no all-stars.
Your username makes you just a bit of an unreliable narrator.
Taylor Rogers and Brad Boxberger and 10 and 8 blown saves. Jansen had 7.
Curtisrowe – I had a billion names to choose from and I could have picked the name of a great UCLA basketball player but instead I went with Pulledabloom to remind folks just how bad Bloom has been.
If the name makes my narration less reliable I have to ask the time tested question “What’s in a Name?”
If you read my comments and find them unreliable then facts simply aren’t your forte and I’m fine with that because there are MANY on this site that refuse to admit to the fact that Bloom is the greatest front office mistake the Red Sox organization has made this century and possibly EVER!!!
Why curtisrowe?
Over his very long career, Jansen has approached the run game by following the Starship Troopers philosophy of “the enemy cannot push a button if you disable his hand” (aka, if you keep guys off base).
I remember the one outing he had where he allowed a runner to get to second base. He was so concerned with the runner stealing signs that he intentionally balked the runner to third. Pointed him to third.
From a Braves fan, $32M and multiple years of Jansen — popcorn, fuhgeddaboudit. Get plenty of Pepto.
I agree totally, how do you spell overrated
ATL got Rasiel Iglesias (32 y/o) and his (3/$48M contract) to replace Jansen (35 y/o) that just got 2/$32M from BOS. I’m ok with that.
Pitch clock drama will make for interesting viewing!
Raisel will keep you on the edge of your seat and worry the you know what out of you but eventually gets the job done.
Kenley will keep you staining the edge of your seat.
I prefer Iglasias.
Rasiel Iglesias didn’t pitch well for the Angels once he got the money but did for the Braves it will be really interesting if that holds up?
While I’m a Yankee fan, I do believe the collective bullpen moves the Red Sox have made so far have strengthened the pen. The AL East will be very tough again, even more so than last year.
Congrats Red Sox nation! You got someone!
Now the team can move Houck and/or Whitlock to the starting rotation.
Whitlock was already told he will be in the rotation this year.
Houck as trade bait perhaps. bullpen looks like it is really taking shape, and I don’t know if he has what it takes to start
I’d much rather see Houck in the rotation and Whitlock stay in the pen. We already kind of saw last year Whitlock isn’t as effective as a starter, his stuff plays best when he can go all out for an inning or two. A combination of Whitlock as the floating high leverage guy, Jansen as the traditional 9th inning guy, and Schreiber, Martin, and the rest of the gang would be a perfectly fine bullpen after last year’s tire fire, in my opinion. If Whitlock is to be used as a starter, then they still need to find one more high end relief weapon.
Houck starting, Whitlock in pen for high leverage/men on base, Jansen when nobody is on base. Maybe Whitlock gets as many saves as Jansen, that’s fine by me. I’d like Whitlock better pitching from the stretch than Jansen.
I like Whitlock in the pen too. He relies too much on his sinker (60% of the time in 2022). As a starter, he’ll be figured out too quick.
Happy for Kenley to keep getting checks as a Dodger fan, but this man is cooked. He’s gonna give ip bombs in that tiny park.
He looked pretty good in ATL
No he didn’t
His numbers were decent, but I wouldn’t trust him against a good line-up in a one run game.
It’s not too much money for the Sox, he presents the possibility of an impact arm in the pen. If it doesn’t work out the Sox won’t worry too long. He’s a reliever on a short contract.
Some yes and some no. I think he has a good bit left in the tank. But i’m happy to see him move along. Ran fans anxiety full tilt probably more than one would like. The pitch clock will be the end of him. He takes forever to get to the plate.
Led MLB in save opps (48) and blown saves (7), while ranking among the league leaders in saves (41 – 2nd in MLB to Clase’s 42). He had a fair season, but don’t his saves don’t tell the full story.
RunDMC1 hour ago
Led MLB in save opps (48) and blown saves (7),
==============================
According to FG, he was tied for 3rd-7th. Jansen had a 85.4% save rate, while the top guys came in at about 90-91%. Over a 50 opportunity season, that’s about 2.5 games. And that’s compared to the elite guys.
…except when he pitched.
He also had the most saves in the NL.
Now, like 3-4 of them were when something weird happened and the game got significantly delayed. There were a couple fan on the field incidents – one where the fan almost ran into him. There was an home plate umpire getting smoked and having to leave the game. There were a couple others that I don’t off the top of my head remember what the deal was. It was weird b/c almost all the incidents occurred almost one after another.
All that said, as a Barves fan Kenley wasn’t a comfortable watch but there were 26 other teams that had it worse. I mean, look at the Dodgers, their fans kicked Kenley on his way out of LA like Angel Hernandez’s dog and they ended up with the Kimbrel Experience which ended up being way, way sketchier.
Big overpay. Cheaper options available. Who’s their shortstop?
Trevor Story.
Nomar
NOMAH
Cheaper options available.
===========================
Why would anyone post “Cheaper options available” instead of posting who the cheaper options were?
Joe – I don’t think there’s any cheaper options out there that have the history/pedigree of kenley.
Is it an overpay? Not so much in this offseason. Am I concerned about his age, decreasing performance with how quick relievers lose it at the end, and all that? Sure. I’d have preferred they pounced on a younger arm earlier on for a few dollars more
Shouldn’t the question not be whether it’s an overpay or not but rather why now? This team is miserable and in two years it will still be miserable so why get a true closer 3 years too late?
Sign star hitters and pitchers so there is a reason to have a great closer.
GASoxFan
Joe – I don’t think there’s any cheaper options out there that have the history/pedigree of kenley.
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Of course, and that’s what annoys me. We have way too many posters that criticize, but with no practical alternative. Same in real life. I actually liked Taylor Rogers, but he certainly would be a bigger gamble, albeit a cheaper gamble.
But that’s all there is. alwaysgo4two criticizing, with no idea of what the market is, is a sign of a small mind.
JoeBrady – Once again, why go for a proven closer rather than develop a young closer by trading for one? Boston won’t be good for 2 years at a minimum so there is no immediate need for a proven guy like Jansen who could be lights out for the next two years while the team wins under 81 games. It makes no sense.
Go get a Reyes and give him time to perfect closing or turn him into a SP and let him build up his innings after his arm problems. A young pitcher with elite stuff is a small risk for a team not competing.
Fans need to recognize where the team is. Bloom isn’t Dombrowski. He can’t rebuild from the mess he made over night. He’ll need years since he took a championship talented team and reduced the building to rubble. This is now an official rebuild and it’s an odd one at that. It took 3 years to completely tear down the foundation. Normally, that’s done immediately and the rebuild starts in year 2 not year 4. When Bloom flipped the roof off the house by giving away Mookie and Price it seemed like that was an ownership request for a new roof but it’s now 3 years later and Bloom is still tearing down the cornerstones of the structure. That makes absolutely no sense.
Bloom has painstakingly ripped the band aid off slowly. Who does that? He can’t even tear down an organization with logic.
Kenley was Bloom’s way of asking the doctor for a lollipop for the patient. The fans don’t want a Kenley NOW in 2020 before the Mookie deal would have been nice but now it’s too little too late.
This will be bloom’s fourth offseason in full control at the helm.
To put it in perspective:
Epstein: hired fall 2002. In two offseasons, he produced a WS winning ball club in ’04.
Cherington: promoted to gm in 2011. In two offseasons he produced a WS winning ball club in ’13.
Dombrowski: hired in 2015. In three offseasons, he produced an ALCS team three times and a WS winning ball club in ’18.
No more apologists. No more ‘building the farm’ excuses. All three of those GMs built the farm and graduated players who had fine and on track for HOF careers.
This is Bloom’s FOURTH offseason. Time to put up or shut up. This team needs to get to the world series for him to show he has worth as an exec.
Beat me to it .. fast, but no movement fastball .. AL hitters will feast on this guy
Thank goodness we move to a balanced schedule this year.
Finally got one of my wish list players, albeit he was #10 on my list of 11., and I was hoping for $14M/1, but prices have been more robust than I expected.
Right there with you, Joe. I wanted Jansen in Fenway as well. I also wanted Mitch Haniger as well but maybe it’s on to Conforto now?
Haniger was #3 on my list. Conforto needs some MRIs and maybe some practice drills. All of this revolves around the prices. If we can re-sign Bogaerts, the dance card can be filled quickly. The fact that no one has snatched up Nimmo, Syndergaard, or Wacha, suggests that their market is not as robust as suggested.
Or their asks are pretty high/ they’re playing it out. Wouldn’t read into it. Lot of guys out there
He’s been declining but a proven closer that will get 35 saves for them. Much better then what they have.
He’s essentially allowing them to move Whitlock into the rotation. I wouldn’t say he’s better, but if your adding him and Martin into a bullpen with Schreiber, Whitlock, Houck & TBD them ya it’s a great move. Problem is they haven’t landed any SP so it looks increasingly likely that both Whitlock and Houck are going to be slotted into the rotation. It’s shaping up to be another season of relief being overworked by august imo.
I doubt they’ll move Houck into the rotation. He profiles much stronger in the ‘pen AND he can close.
Let’s not forget Matt Barnes’ second half resurgence last season. He’s not fully back to his former dominant self, but he seemed to get over his mental issues on the mound and turned in some quality results in Aug & Sep. If he can continue to get back to his old form, the Boston bullpen should be very good this season. They also get Josh Taylor back this year as well. I’m guessing Chaim is done with bullpen additions and will focus on the offense next; most notably the OF & SS/2B (depending on where Story plays). Arroyo had a great season last year so perhaps they are content with Story at SS and Arroyo at 2B and just need to add a solid utility player. They still need to add some power to the lineup as well. Losing Xander and JD takes a lot of power out of their lineup.
Barnes and dominant don’t fit in a sentence together. He’s a journeyman reliever whose swings from bad to good are prolific. Never pretend they can be sustained in either direction because there is no evidence of that over the last decade.
He’s a journeyman
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LOL! He’s a journeyman that has played for one team his ENTIRE life? That’s one heck of a journey.
JoeBrady – OK I’ve stopped laughing and now I’ll explain the word journeyman!!
A journeyman is an average ball player who never achieves greatness but plays for the same team for a long time without any outstanding qualities.
Journeyman is sometimes synonymous with a long time league average player.
Please feel free to laugh (the LOL! in your comment) as you look in the mirror!! hahaha
Sorry I couldn’t help myself after you tried to make fun of someone else but you didn’t know what the word meant.
Alright, some signs of life from the FO. A couple more complementary peices, bring back our favorite players, and life will be good.
I like the pick up for the Red Sox. 41 saves last year so Jansen can still finish games.
Better than a bullpen by committee.
They finally got someone… and they OVERPAID… holy cow nobody wants to play in Boston this year
You can blame Bloom for that. He has not created great moral with players lately.
Players go for the money, that is what creates “moral”
Enough with the Blame blame Bloom crap…. its getting old… he is doing exactly what Henry hired him to do…. this is on ownership.
Did you sit in on the interview?
Cooper – how about you enlighten us as to exactly what you think bloom was hired to do, then, we can evaluate how he’s done at that and if he did it in the best way possible
IMO: Bloom was hired to run player personnel, but overall salary cap decisions, big signing and big extensions go through owners. Something like trading Betts or signing Bogaerts would be mostly the owners decision.
Not true. Bloom’s decision to present to ownership for approval. The internal workings of baseball organizations are simple. GM present solutions and owners decide to either spend the money or not to spend the money.
Bloom is and continues to be the problem in Boston. Ownership gave him a ton of money in 2022 and he finished 5th and would have finished 6th if another team had been in the division!! Like Cora, Bloom must have leverage on the owners.
“You can blame Bloom for that”
No you can blame the DBag fans for that. Ask Ted Williams, Bob Stanley, Mike Greenwell, Bobby Valentine, Hanley Ramirez, etc. Every few years the “fans” pick a guy to just ride and ride. Right now its Bloom.
The “fans” are 90% the reason players put Boston on their ‘no play list’. Only city/sport this happens in, its strange.
“No you can blame the DBag fans for that. Ask Ted Williams, Bob Stanley, Mike Greenwell, Bobby Valentine, Hanley Ramirez, etc. Every few years the “fans” pick a guy to just ride and ride. Right now its Bloom.”
Do you have this statement in your clipboard?
btw, want to have another fact-finding discussion? You ran off yesterday & i was deeply saddened.
Self-Reflection is all I want.
So if someone gets tired of your drivel, you consider it a victory. Good for you.
“So if someone gets tired of your drivel. I guess you consider it a Victory. Good for you.”
If that’s what you want to call it!! lmao
I’ll give you credit!!! You did very well at not being able to back up your statements with facts.
#3yearsinarow
:):):):):):):):):)
Jockstrap, take it down a knotch. This is a good signing.
Hard to take it down a notch when i have Jock Itch
Hunting – Issues with Boston? Don’t ever put Bloom in a sentence with Ted Williams. It’s sacrilegious!!
Bloom is bad at his job so fans are riding him. That wasn’t the case with others on your list and Boston is not uncommon among the big market teams when it comes to player harassment.
Everyone’s overpaying this year. Not a single free agent contract so far that could be considered a bargain.
Anderson at 3/39 is the bargain signing so far. That’s still a pretty hefty sum.
Spot on.
Overpay? Not in this reliever market.
Sources say Jansen rejected a $150 Million offer from the Padres.
Man, pitching is expensive this year. Even in his decline though, he’s still a really solid arm. Good move by Boston, they need more to follow if they want to compete in the East.
Didn’t look great for Atlanta and the pitch clock is gonna murder him.
He will be fine. I wanted him back honestly, he got on a role near the end of August and was lights out
They have Iglesias. He wasn’t good most of the year. 18 mil for a few weeks of good work isn’t ideal.
Yeah it’s probably a little much but all the decent bullpen arms you can get is a good thing.
WOW BLOOM!!! Santas Proud of You
Need another SP and position players and they’ll be alright. To all the overpaid comments have you seen the contracts being dished out this year?
I’m guessing Eovaldi will come back after no one is willing to give up draft picks for him.
Yeah,, the market is the market. If you have a need or want a player then you pay them.
deGrom will be making 150 million more than Jansen and has only pitched 23 more innings over the last 2 seasons.
Which “overpay” would you prefer?
This is a very good sign as it solidifies the bullpen, a top shelf closer makes it easier to define everyone elses roles. Now, go get an outfielder, bring back Evoldi and Vazquez and this team will be ready to actually contend instead of more bridge years.
a top shelf closer makes it easier to define everyone elses roles.
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I agree 100%. I said something similar last year, but not as eloquently. The arms were fine, but i didn’t like any of them as the 9th inning guy.
I really hope Eovaldi doesn’t come back. Way too unreliable to stay healthy.
I wish they would have moved on from him.
Still a top reliever, not elite anymore, he will earn his contract. A class act that has been a great ambassador for baseball in the Caribbean. Wish him luck.
Yes!!!! Thats what we needed. Now sign Koudai Senga, a shortstop, and a competent outfielder.
Didnt you guys just sign Trevor Story?
I strongly believe Story is a fallback option for the Sox at SS. I really think they want him to be a 2B going forward and will only shift back to SS if they whiff on their other targets. It seems obvious they have nonintention of bringing back Bogey unfortunately.
Nice shot, Jansen!
That’s a lot of money to give up for a reliever that is 35 and not what he used to be. I don’t think that he’s bad, I just don’t see him being worth this type of contract. Crazy what the contracts are this year in free agency.
Its FA what do you expect. All the contracts signed so far are over expectations. At the end of the day its only a 2 year deal so its not going to bite them long term. A big market team like the Sox can afford to make these types of moves.
Can MLBTR bump the predictions to the top off the app? Its hard to find on the app if i keep having to scroll down and down and down as new posts come out.
Use the search function or find it and print it out.
Happy to see Boston sign him. Was my choice for the FA contest.
Yes!!! Red Sox win the offseason!!
Probably means Liam Hendriks 2yrs are worth roughly 40mil when WSox assess trade offers for trying to get a decent lefty bat with contract control.
Well done, Chaim! So much better than signing a bunch of guys to minor league deals and see who shines in Spring Training. Looks like Boston finally realizes what it takes this year to sign established talent and are starting to pony up. On to the outfield next. I’m disappointed they missed out on Haniger but perhaps they can bring Conforto in on a one year deal.
It’s a start for sure. I was a little disappointed about Haniger too but wouldn’t mind looking at Yoshida if the price doesn’t get too crazy. He looks like he’s an on base machine..
Conforto on a 1 or 2 year deal with an opt out wouldn’t be horrible. I’m not crazy about the idea of having Verdugo in RF.
Going To be interesting to see the reaction after he blows the game against the Yankees in Fenway. Enjoy Boston fans.
Oh fk yeah
A couple years late but learning from our mistakes is very very appreciated
This makes Blooms tenure slightly SLIGHTLY less frustrating
Not a fan of this move/$.
Me neither. The Chris Martin signing looks like smart money. This one doesn’t.
Anything is better that the unstoppable trio of blowing leads like Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, and Hansel Robles. With Hirokazu Sawamura being featured.
He looked pretty shaky last year. But better than what the Red Sox had.
Free agent dominos continue to fall. Shortstops and catchers could be next and then, hopefully, a blockbuster trade or three!
The Kenley Jansen signing likely takes the Red Sox out of any potential Liam Hendriks trade discussions with the White Sox.
Can’t have too many arms.
Barnes, Seabold, and maybe another arm like Walter for Hendriks.
If the Red Sox bullpen was even remotely close to decent they would have been in the playoffs last year.
Hendriks might as well be a certified mad man and I want that at the backend of the bullpen. Give me another Paplebon-type guy.
Could you imagine? Hendriks, Jensen, Martin. I would also take a flier on Kimbrel again for a year for cheap. Then you’ve got Houck, Bello, and Whitlock tied to the rotation which makes Pivetta dispensable with some value.
Only thing that concerns me is that there are a TON of righties and the only lefties they’ve got are injury concerns (Sale, Paxton) and Rodriguez who is just fine. Would still like for them to get Taylor Rogers.
There’s no way they go after Hendricks now that they signed Jensen to big $… they also really shouldn’t. I love strong bullpens as much as the next guy but they desperately need OF/offense help… hopefully Bogaerts stays and that helps but they still need another bat or 2 (and an SP or 2)
No offense but what alternate reality are you living in? They could have had Judge and not made the playoffs in 2022!!
This team is terrible and getting worse if Bogaerts, JD and Eovaldi are not signed. Wake up and join reality. This isn’t a nightmare, it’s real. The sky is falling in Boston due to Bloom and will continue to fall for at least another year.
Some of the local radio guys have said the Padres had a higher offer but Jansen took less to stay on the east coast.
Thank God, I was worried the Angels would sign him
Me to, I wasn’t worried about his numbers so much. But his declining stuff. Good luck to Jansen thou.
Get Murphy from
Oakland. Let Vasquez go. Sign Bassit. And resign JDM
Great guy. Local charities will get some love.
He’s a closer so his bad games will stand out in the minds of fans but overall he’s still pretty good.
I have no idea what Chaim is doing.
That’s not a bad thing.
Not a bad thing necessarily, no lol. But most GMs you can see some kind of “plan” and process, whether that’s a rebuild, reload, push, etc…
Has he done anything since taking over as GM made any sense to you?
He traded Betts…he ruined the relationship with Xander. He’s dragging his feet on something to be done with Devers and it appears that there won’t be an extension. He traded Hunter Renfroe for JBJ. And now he signs a very diminished Kenley Jansen for big money?
The farm system has improved, but there has been no proof any of them will produce, so we have to wait and see how well he’s actually done in that department.
So where does that leave Houck?
Houck might stay as an 8th inning man moving Chris Martin to the 7th. Or he could go back to the rotation.
Jansen, Barnes, Houck, Schreiber, Martin; you could make an argument that ANY of them might close. Good problem to have….
Now..about those left=handers out there in the ‘pen.. hmmm…..
Josh Taylor comes back this season so he should be a decent LH reliever for them. As for Joeley, I’m not sure about him.
A main question is how will he react to the pitch clock. Power pitchers won’t be able to rest as long, which could lead to a drop in velocity and effectiveness. It will be an interesting situation to watch with many relievers, but Jansen is one of the slowest between pitches. I do think it’s possible some relievers will also benefit by keeping in better rhythm.
There should be a MLBTR threadpost clock. You only get 35 seconds to speak your peace then boom, see ya. Cut off the trolls and the long winded Tom foolers who never get to the pt. What say youse?
LordD, I would be calling balks on him 70% of the time.
Kenley is still on the HOF track. Both Kimbrel and Aroldis derailed.
More like the IHOP track. Amirite?
Kenley is going to be a train smash one year and not be able to recover, this is the year! If it weren’t for this years new schedule he would get killed by the AL East!
“If it weren’t…”
But it is…… and that was likely part of the equation.
One of the better decisions Braves have made.
I feel like his decline is just getting started.
That crazy game we won against them in September; Kenley was throwing cutters at 91….that weren’t cutting. Freakin meat pasta
Wouldn’t it have been better to sign a starter for that money so that Whitlock could continue to excel as a reliever? Jansen is a good – I would not say very good – closer for sure, but I think Boston might have more glaring needs.
Gruß,
BSHH
Red Sock gonna suck like Coldplay
I think I’m okay with this one. Surprised it happened. Tough call to tell how successful he will be.
Super overated.
Operated or overeated
Short deal good signing
You were great in Home Alone than what happened?
Too much time spent @ Neverland no doubt..
Yikes. Who was Birks, one of the chimps?
Much as I’ve trashed Bloom in these posts, kudos to him on this one. I like this signing, and if what’s being said is true I love it: he’s allegedly good friends with Xander!
Nah. Xanders good
I could put together an entire pen for 32 million. Boston made 2 great signings already. Same money as last year, year older, and now he gets 2 years. He is still closer material. Fenway might not be a good fit for him. Meh signing.
with a no-shift policy and time clock, relief pitchers are going to be a crap shoot this season until it settles out.
That being said, nice to see one of the promo codes the Red Sox organization has been trying to use actually work and acquire Jansen.
Baseball is much more fun when the Red Sox try to be competitive.
Bullpen is in much better shape now. At least there is that. Now get Bogey signed and add an OF bat and lets go…
Not thrilling… Braiser can do what he does for 1/10 of price….. if not for him it would have been the 2018 WS champion Dodgers… head scratcher….
lol seriously… Braiser is terrible. I’m not saying Jensen is a god but next to Braiser he’s pretty close. (joking… like the signing but he’s not an “elite” closer anymore. but just the stability alone is worth it with the current sox pen. they really needed ONE guy to be THE guy so everyone else can settle into their roles.
I’d rather bring in 83 year old Carl Yastrzemski to pitch and frankly, I think Yaz would do better. Brasier is about as good now as a little league pitcher. Bloom, please release him.
That 32 million dollars would have been much better allocated to Carlos Rodon, or Chris Bassitt or Mitch Haniger or 400 better places than freaking Kenley. SmH!!!!!
Went to a team that cheated him out of another world series. Dave Roberts is rolling in his grave.
Maybe but he did his part lobbying in meatball’s……
As a Yankees fan, I’m fine with this move. Jansen in the play-offs doesn’t inspire confidence.
Why? Saves aren’t indicative of good pitching. Way too much for a guy who has been prone to meltdowns the last few years.
You are all missing the irony of finally getting a legitimate closer after having tossed aside all the talented players Bloom inherited!! It’s the ultimate irony. Why get a closer of Jansen’s stature if the rest of the team is double A quality? Without Bogaerts, JD, Eovaldi, not to mention Mookie, Benny, Renfroe and Schwarber why does Boston need an elite closer now? The money is good so that makes sense since Bloom never pays big bucks but WHY do it? It’s a two year deal for a team 5 years from being good again!!!
Kenley in 2019 makes sense. Kenley 4 years later when the talent level has been nearly depleted makes absolutely no sense!! Like Bloom’s move to get Story, it makes no sense from a long term strategy standpoint or even a short term strategy stand point. This move leaves Boston in 5th place. It might give them a half dozen extra wins but without Bogaerts, JD and Eovaldi, that means 66 wins not 60.
Fans should be up at arms over Bloom’s inability to improve the team with all the money available to him in 2023. It further proves just how bad the decision was to hire him and how tremendously bad it was to extend him to further bury the Red Sox.
Still trying to think of ONE positive about Bloom’s tenure in Boston. Can’t think of ONE in 3 years of bad decision making. Last place looks like the Red Sox future until Bloom is gone.
FYI… Did anyone notice who WON the Winter Meetings? A guy named Dombrowski who brought a championship to Boston and now is making Philadelphia fans as happy as Boston fans should be had they kept Dombrowski. The turning point in the Boston franchise happened the day they fired Dombrowski and the downhill slide continues three years later. How far can this great franchise fall under Bloom?
Every Word You Just Said Was True!!
Thank You
If there is a silver lining at all, it would be that now Whitlock and Houck can get extended looks in the rotation, bumps and all. Let them struggle a bit and get a lot of innings in (within reason). It will benefit the sox in the long run for these two guys to develop into solid 3rd starters in a rotation. Maybe bloom is cutting payroll and saving money for the upcoming FA class which is pretty loaded?
As a Yankees fan, I’m thrilled.
It’s not “frustrating as it must be,” it’s “AS frustrating as it might be”
From my MLBTR screen:
Kenley Jansen” width=”200″ height=”300″ />
Shouldn’t that be “width=200 Weight=300? Lol!
They got his dimensions spot on…