Former Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen is heading to another American League contender.
Jansen, who spent 2025 in Anaheim after a two-year stint in Boston, has agreed to join the Tigers, multiple sources said Saturday. It’s reportedly a one-year deal with a club option for 2027.
Jansen, who turned 38 at the end of September, saved 29 games and logged a 2.59 ERA in 59 innings (62 games) for the Angels last year after signing a one-year, $10 million contract during spring training. That came on the heels of a solid two-year span with the Red Sox in which Jansen had 56 saves and pitched to a 3.44 ERA in 105 appearances and was an All-Star in 2023.
Jansen, a longtime Dodger, is on to his fifth career team. The Tigers already made a major bullpen signing by bringing back Kyle Finnegan on a two-year, $19 million contract during the Winter Meetings. Jansen, who has 476 career saves, will likely man the ninth inning for the Tigers, who are looking to make their third consecutive postseason appearance. He is 24 saves short of becoming the third pitcher ever to record 500 saves and is currently fourth on the all-time saves leaderboard while sitting two saves shy of tying Lee Smith in third place (478).