Steve Webb
Dare we dream? Dare we hope that Dodgers sometimes troubled closer Kenley Jansen has found it again? It’s a tantalizing possibility that is almost too good to think about. A Dodgers bullpen with Blake Treinen in the seventh, Corey Knebel setting up in the eighth, and then Jansen shutting the door in the ninth? Could we be that lucky?
The early signs are actually pretty good. His first outing was a classic Jansen five-out save in Colorado. He walked a guy, but gave up no hits and no runs to save the second win of the Dodgers’ season on April 3.
Since then, he has had a couple of hiccups. He a couple of walks and gave up an earned run in the loss during the Oakland series. And, in that marathon in San Diego, he had another blown save when Eric Hosmer hit him up for a two-out, run-scoring single that sent the game into extra innings.
But that’s been it. Only two hits surrendered over 8 innings of work. And in what was probably his most impressive outing, Jansen mowed down the Mariners in order on Tuesday, saving the game for Julio Urias.
In that outing, it looked like we’d hopped in Marty McFly’s Delorean and transported back to 2017. He had great movement on his cutter, and even brought the gas, at certain points in the inning hitting 97 mph. It was something to behold.
Manager Dave Roberts was duly impressed. “I hadn’t seen 97 — a couple of 97s — in a while,” Roberts said. “It was really good. He’s worked really hard to stay within his delivery and keep his lower half strong and right. It was really exceptional, even that slider to punch (Kyle) Seager late was really good.”
We’ve been down this road before. Last year, Jansen was perfect through his first few starts, and at the end of August, his ERA was still only 1.23. Then, we know what happened… His ERA for the month of September was an ugly 6.52, including the monumental meltdown against the Astros*.
There are a couple of causes for concern. He still is walking too many guys. He has already issued six free passes in eight innings. That is not great for a closer. But with the addition of Knebel and the return of Treinen, chances are good that Roberts can manage Jansen’s workload. His days as a two- or three-day-in-a-row closer are over. However, if used correctly, this new Kenley Jansen could be the tool that he had been back way back when.
And then, who could stop the Dodgers? Nobody. That’s who.
