According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, the Tigers are getting closer to signing reliever Kenley Jansen. Jansen, who last pitched with the Angels last season, is a 4-time All-Star with the Dodgers and Red Sox and has 476 career saves.
The Tigers continue to rebuild their bullpen, with the recent focus on minor league free agents arms, recent activity in the minor league Rule 5 draft and the signings of Drew Anderson and bringing back Kyle Finnegan.
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With the signing of Kenley Jansen now official, the Tigers have added a veteran reliever whose profile is both familiar and increasingly specialized. Paired with the recent addition of Kyle Finnegan, Detroit’s late-inning bullpen takes on a clearer shape built around experience, defined roles and a heavy reliance on cutters and splitters.
Jansen, 37, remains one of the league’s most cutter-dependent pitchers, throwing the pitch 81.4% of the time in 2025, supplemented by a sinker (9.2%) and a slider (6%). The cutter still plays as a bat-miss and weak-contact offering, generating a whiff rate north of 25% and holding hitters to a modest expected slugging percentage. His average exit velocity allowed has continued to trend upward with age, but the pitch’s late cut and command inside the zone have helped limit damage, particularly against right-handed hitters.
The encouraging sign for Detroit is that Jansen’s underlying contact profile remains competitive. His hard-hit rate has increased compared to his peak seasons, yet hitters have struggled to square him up consistently, reflected in an expected weighted on-base average that has stayed in a manageable range. His strikeout rate is no longer elite, but it remains strong enough for late-inning work, especially when paired with his ability to avoid free passes.
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There are, however, clear risks. Jansen’s margin for error is thinner than it once was, and his cutter-heavy approach leaves little room to adjust if the command slips. When the pitch leaks over the plate, the results can be loud, particularly against left-handed hitters who are better equipped to track the movement. Durability is also a consideration, as his workload has been managed more carefully in recent seasons.
Within Detroit’s bullpen, Jansen would not need to be the sole answer in the ninth inning. Finnegan’s power arsenal and recent closing experience give the Tigers another late-game option, while Will Vest’s ability to miss bats and handle high-leverage situations provides flexibility. Jansen fits best as part of a matchup-driven endgame, where his cutter can be deployed against right-heavy portions of opposing lineups or in clean innings where contact management is paramount, say to perhaps get a double play going.
Plus, A.J. Hinch has been clear about late-inning roles as whoever has the hot hand, will get to close in the 9th.
For a Tigers squad intent on stabilizing the back end of its bullpen, the appeal is clear. Jansen brings a long track record, postseason experience and a defined skill set that complements both Finnegan’s velocity and Vest’s versatility. The upside may no longer be elite dominance, but the floor, if used correctly, is a steady veteran presence capable of shortening games and absorbing leverage without overexposure.
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In that context, a Jansen-Finnegan-Vest trio gives the Tigers something it has lacked in recent seasons: depth, not obligations, in the final three outs.
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