After a rough start to the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers surprisingly boast one of the best bullpens in baseball, with their 2.83 ERA leads the Majors at the All-Star break. While Joe Blanton and Adam Liberatore have been strong contributors, the bullpen is anchored by Kenley Jansen.
The 28-year-old was named to his first career All-Star team, as he represents the Dodgers along with Clayton Kershaw and Corey Seager in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic. Jansen is in the midst of another strong season, which comes at the right time on a personal level.
After avoiding arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $10.65 million contract last winter, he’s set to become a free agent after the 2016 season concludes.
Jansen previously remarked that he will not discuss an extension during the season, but he would like to remain a Dodger.
According to Andy McCullough of the LA Times, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman expressed his hope of being able to re-sign the organization’s all-time saves leader:
“We don’t comment on specific negotiations, but our hope and expectation is that Kenley is in a Dodger uniform for a long time,” said Andrew Friedman, the team’s president of baseball operations.
Jansen is tied for second in the Majors with 27 saves; he’s had 30 opportunities. Although he trails New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia in saves, Jansen’s ERA (1.16), WHIP (0.65) and strikeouts (51) are superior to Familia’s numbers.
Over his career, Jansen has converted 169 saves and owns a 2.16 ERA. While it seems that Los Angeles will make re-signing the Curacao native a priority, Aroldis Chapman is also expected to hit the free agency market.
The Dodgers had a trade in place to acquire Chapman during the Winter Meetings but backed away once his involvement in a domestic dispute surfaced. Some executives speculated Jansen could receive a five-year deal this winter.
