Kenley Jansen has likely thrown his last pitch for the Red Sox
BOSTON -- Kenley Jansen finished off an 8-1 win for the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon, which may go down as his final appearance in Boston uniform. Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced that Jansen is likely heading to the injured list with a sore shoulder after the team's 9-3 win over the Twins in the second game of Sunday's double billing at Fenway Park.
Jansen finished off the Twins with a 1-2-3 ninth inning in Game 1, and he closed things out in style. He set down Jose Miranda on three pitches for the game's final out, getting the Minnesota third baseman to swing and miss at a 96 mph cutter.
There was no save for Jansen on Sunday, but it could be the last time we see the future Hall of Famer pitch for the Red Sox. Jansen, who will turn 37 at the end of the month, is set to become a free agent this winter after signing a two-year, $32 million deal with Boston in December of 2022.
If this is it for Jansen, he finished his 2024 campaign with 27 saves over 31 opportunities, along with 62 strike outs to 20 walks over his 54.2 innings of work. Over his two seasons in Boston, Jansen racked up 56 saves in 64 opportunities, touting a 3.44 ERA and 114 strikeouts to 37 walks. He was an All-Star for Boston in 2023.
The veteran closer will likely want to sign somewhere that gives him an opportunity to win another ring this winter. Jansen won a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020, but the Red Sox failed to make the playoffs in either of his seasons in Boston.
Jansen will also be looking to add to his 447 career saves, which ranks fourth on MLB's all-time list.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox will be looking for someone to close out games -- both in the future and in the interim. As for the final six games of the 2024 season, the job will likely go to rookie Justin Slaten. The 27-year-old righty is 6-2 with a 3.04 ERA over 42 appearances this year.