While the Detroit Tigers still are listening to offers for Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, the team reinforced its bullpen Saturday by agreeing with veteran All-Star closer Kenley Jansen to a one-year contract with a club option.
Jansen, who saved 29 games in 30 opportunities last season for the Los Angeles Angels, will receive $11 million, $1 million more than a year ago.
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The right-hander gives the Tigers a dynamic 1-2 punch ater the Tigers re-signed Kyle Finnegan to a two-year, $29 million contract earlier in the week.
Jansen, 38, has 476 career saves and could become only the third reliever in baseball history to save 500 games, accomplished only by Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. Jansen has saved at least 25 games in 13 of his past 14 seasons, including a career-high 47 games in 2016 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Kenley Jansen is approaching 500 career saves.
This will be Jansen’s fifth team in six years after spending 12 years with the Dodgers.
The Tigers, who still are unlikely to trade Skubal but will continue to listen, now would like to add another starter behind No. 2 Jack Flaherty.
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The Tigers, 87-75, who blew a huge AL Central lead with a historic collapse, still reached the postseason as a wild-card team and beat the division champion Cleveland Guardians in the first round. They got to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in a decade, and still are seeking their first World Series championship since 1984.
Now, with a strong bullpen – and if they can land one more starter to go with Skubal – the Tigers could have their best shot since the days when Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer headed their star-studded rotation.
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
Since 2000, future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols’ 101.3 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) leads all players, with Alex Rodriguez tied for second ways back at 89.7 WAR. See the rest of the top 25.
1 / 25
Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
Since 2000, future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols’ 101.3 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) leads all players, with Alex Rodriguez tied for second ways back at 89.7 WAR. See the rest of the top 25.
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
2. Alex Rodriguez – 89.7
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
3. Adrian Beltre – 89.7
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
4. Mike Trout – 87.5
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
5. Justin Verlander – 82.2
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
6. Clayton Kershaw – 78.1
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
7. Mookie Betts – 75.2
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
8. Max Scherzer – 74.7
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
9. Zack Greinke – 72.4
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
10. Robinson Cano – 68.7
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
11. Miguel Cabrera – 67.2
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
12. Carlos Beltran – 65.1
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
13. Chase Utley – 64.6
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
14. Freddie Freeman – 64.2
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
15. Paul Goldschmidt – 63.8
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
16. Joey Votto – 63.6
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
17. Roy Halladay – 62.4
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
18. Aaron Judge – 62.3
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
19. CC Sabathia – 61.8
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
20. Manny Machado – 61.7
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
21. Ichiro Suzuki – 60
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
22. Mark Buehrle – 60
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
23. Barry Bonds – 59.1
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
24. Evan Longoria – 58.9
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Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement
25. Chipper Jones – 58.3
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kenley Jansen Tigers contract details. career stats and saves