Although Kenley Jansen’s time with the Boston Red Sox isn’t officially over, it certainly feels that way.
In the penultimate series of the 2024 season, the Red Sox host the Tampa Bay Rays, but the great closer is not with the team.
Manager Alex Cora said, “He went home,” according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “We spoke this past week. He wasn’t going to pitch as soon as it ended, which was two days ago. Yes, there are other things that we discussed and other things that are happening with him.
Sept. 22 was when Jansen last pitched. The next day, two days before the Red Sox were declared officially out of the playoffs, he was placed on injured reserve with a strained shoulder.
Perhaps other details that provide a clearer explanation for Jansen’s choice to return home will surface. Then perhaps it will all make sense. If you don’t have that information, it looks horrible. It is a team sport, baseball. Regardless of your level of disappointment, it is fundamentally professional to stick with your team until the end of the season.
The Red Sox will no longer be able to sign Jansen after this season. With little reason to think Boston will be interested in re-signing him, he will pursue free agency. The early withdrawal pretty much puts an end to any doubts about it.
The trade deadline was the key what-if that remained. Dealing Jansen then seemed to have been a significant misplay.
This season, the closer’s ERA remained steady at 3.29. In the AL, he ranked 10th in WPA and sixth in saves. While he wasn’t flawless, he mostly contributed to the Red Sox’s opportunity to qualify for the postseason during the previous two seasons. Regretfully, neither the athlete nor the team were able to fully commit for any postseason
Expect Jansen to search for a new place where he can compete for another World Series championship as his 37th birthday approaches. The Red Sox will need to find a new closer in the interim.
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