Weekly Update: Kenley Jansen

[samscherer]

Kenley Jansen recorded the save in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, but he walked a batter with two outs and his velocity was way down from where it usually is, prompting unusual concern from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

While Roberts has multiple times affirmed that Jansen is still the team’s closer, he’s also said that Kenley is open to pitching earlier in games as well and used Brusdar Graterol for the save in Game 2 after Jansen had low velocity and threw a lot of pitches in Game 1.

I’d imagine Jansen’s usage to be similar in the NLDS. He’s probably close out the games unless he’s doing it on back to back days, can’t regain his velocity, or the Dodgers don’t like the match-up.

While many Dodger fans don’t want Jansen near a close game, I actually trust him more than most because he’s still not getting hit at all when he’s struggling (after the Astros debacle). It’s just the command, and while that’s problematic, he usually works around it. Personally, if Clayton Kershaw can’t be on the mound to get the last out of a World Series, I want Kenley Jansen there. Few have done more for Dodgers both on and the field and in the clubhouse as well as contributing to the city of Los Angeles.