DETROIT, Mich. (WNEM) – The Tigers have agreed to a one-year, $11 million contract that includes a club option with 16-year veteran and four-time All-Star closer Kenley Jansen, pending a physical.
Jansen, 38, began his major-league career with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2010-21) and has since pitched for several clubs. He originally signed as a catcher and appeared with the Great Lakes Loons in 2007-08 before converting to pitching.
He spent the 2025 season with the Los Angeles Angels, throwing 59 innings, converting 29 of 30 save opportunities, posting a 2.59 ERA and recording 57 strikeouts. While those numbers are solid, Jansen no longer misses as many bats as he did earlier in his career.
His average exit velocity against ranked in the third percentile, and his whiff rate — how often hitters swing and miss — fell 1.2 percentage points from 2024 to 2025. His strikeout rate dropped about four percentage points last season.
One tough outing came May 2 at Angel Stadium, when he surrendered six of the 18 runs, he allowed all season in a single ninth inning against Detroit, including back-to-back homers by Riley Greene and Colt Keith and a Javier Báez homer.
Jansen, who has 476 career saves, needs 24 more to reach 500 — a milestone only a handful of pitchers have attained. He ranks fourth all time in saves behind Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601) and Lee Smith (478). Craig Kimbrel has 440.
Strengthening the bullpen was an offseason priority for Detroit. The Tigers also signed right-hander Kyle Finnegan to a two-year, $19 million contract and traded right-hander Chase Lee to the Toronto Blue Jays for minor-league left-hander Johan Simón on Dec. 12.
If the season started today, Detroit’s bullpen projection would look like this:
• Closer: Kenley Jansen
• Setup: Kyle Finnegan, Will Vest
• Middle relief: Beau Brieske, Tyler Holton, Bailey Horn
• Long relief: Brenan Hanifee, Brant Hurter
Will Vest led the Tigers with 23 saves in 2025, but five different Tigers recorded saves last season, including Tommy Kahnle and Finnegan. There is still room to add arms — particularly a left-hander who can miss more bats than Holton.
Detroit has relied on veteran closers in previous contention windows with mixed results. Todd Jones returned to Detroit in 2006 and collected 93 saves over his final three seasons. José Valverde saved 119 games across four seasons, including a team-record 49 in 2011. Joe Nathan saved 35 games in 2014 but posted a 4.81 ERA, and Francisco RodrÃguez had 44 saves in 2016 before Detroit released him midway through 2017.
The Tigers finished 87-75 in 2025, one game better than 2024, and were eliminated in Game 5 of the ALDS in both seasons.
Why it matters: Adding Jansen gives Detroit a proven closer and stabilizes the back end of a bullpen that was clearly an offseason focus. If he can limit hard contact and stay healthy, he could be the difference in tight September races and may reach a rare career milestone.
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