ANAHEIM, Calif.. — When Kenley Jansen was asked if he wished he came out of the game last night, he chuckled and shook his head no. 

However, Angels fans may not agree with him – all things considered.

In sports, blaming one player for a loss isn’t necessarily fair but when a closing pitcher doesn’t execute his job and allows two runs in the ninth inning to give up a tie game – well, maybe they can be partially to blame. 

In the ninth inning yesterday, Jansen allowed two hits, two earned runs, a hit by pitch and one walk, ultimately receiving his third loss of the season.

Jansen surely wasn’t himself last night, and although he wasn’t very vocal on what the issue was yesterday after the loss, today was different.

Jansen explained during pregame interviews that he hurt the left side of his ribs on Sunday during a workout in the weight room. 

He said he struggled with the last two outings, he couldn’t get his step or turn due to the tremendous amount of pain he was in last night.

“It’s not fun pitching like that,” Jansen said.

He won’t be on the mound in tonight’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds and his comeback date is to be decided, depending on how treatment continues to go and his pain levels going forward.

“I care about my teammates,” Jansen said. “I don’t want to put any other of my teammates in my position…If I still have a little pain, I feel like I can get the job done. And luckily the worst thing is I didn’t. But I’m not going to blame myself on injuries and all that stuff. I didn’t get the job done yesterday. I lost the game.”

As of now, Jansen hasn’t received an MRI because he said his pain doesn’t raise that level of concern yet – which is a good sign.

Angels’ interim manager Ray Montgomery said Jansen felt like he could manage the pain last night and Jansen told him that he would be able to get the team out of the situation they were in. And Jansen had done it before, most recently on Sunday – so Montgomery gave him the opportunity.

But of course, hindsight is 50/50.

Jansen said he’s thankful for the off day tomorrow and will continue receiving treatment in the upcoming days and will see how he feels on Friday.