The 37-year-old reliever posted a 2.59 ERA with 29 saves for the Angels in 2025, bringing his career total to 476 saves, fourth-most all-time.
The Tigers have agreed to a one-year contract with longtime reliever Kenley Jansen, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Saturday. The deal, which includes a club option for 2026, has not been confirmed by the team. The move brings one of baseball’s most accomplished closers to Detroit as the franchise looks to strengthen its bullpen heading into next season.
Despite appearing in 992 combined games between the regular season and postseason across 16 MLB seasons, Jansen was still going strong in 2025. In his age-37 season with the Angels, Jansen posted a 2.59 ERA in 62 appearances, his lowest ERA since running a 2.22 ERA in his final year with the Dodgers in 2021.
Jansen added 29 more saves with the Angels, bringing his career total to 476, the fourth-most by any pitcher since the stat became official in 1969. With 24 more saves, he would reach the milestone 500 mark, joining an exclusive club of closers who have achieved that benchmark.
No draft pick compensation attached
Jansen was not eligible to receive a qualifying offer this offseason since he got one from the Dodgers in 2016. Thus, there is no draft pick compensation attached to him, or penalty for signing him. This made Jansen an attractive target for teams looking to add bullpen depth without sacrificing future assets, allowing the Tigers to strengthen their roster without giving up draft capital.
The financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed, though one-year contracts for veteran relievers typically range based on recent performance and market demand. The club option for 2026 gives Detroit flexibility to retain Jansen if he performs well or move on if the relationship does not work out as planned.
Underlying concerns about declining metrics
Jansen was quite good in 2025, but there are some underlying signs worth monitoring next season. Most notably, Jansen saw his strikeout rate drop to a career-low 24.4% in 2025, the first time in his career that he dipped below 25%. For a pitcher who built his reputation on missing bats with his cutter, the declining strikeout rate represents a potential red flag.
Jansen also allowed a 44.6% hard-hit rate, meaning batted balls of 95-plus mph, and 91.5 mph average exit velocity, his worst marks of the Statcast era since 2015. The drop in strikeout rate and decline in contact quality explains why Jansen’s ERA indicators were considerably higher than his actual ERA. His 3.77 expected ERA and 3.98 FIP suggest he may have benefited from some good fortune in 2025.
Still valuable despite advanced metrics
Even if Jansen performs closer to those ERA indicators in 2026, he is still a valuable pitcher that can provide quality innings in the middle-to-late innings of a game for a club. His extensive experience and track record of success give him credibility in high-leverage situations, even if his raw stuff has diminished slightly from his peak years with the Dodgers.
In the chance he lands in a closing role with Detroit, there’s a good chance Jansen reaches 500 saves next season. That milestone would cement his legacy as one of the greatest closers in baseball history, joining an elite group that includes Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman and Lee Smith.
The Tigers are betting that Jansen’s veteran presence and ability to handle pressure situations will benefit a young roster looking to compete in the American League Central. While his strikeout rate and contact quality metrics raise some concerns, his proven track record and successful 2025 season suggest he still has something left to offer. Detroit’s willingness to include a club option for 2026 indicates they believe Jansen can contribute beyond just next season, giving them a bridge veteran as younger relievers develop in their farm system.
SOURCE: MLB.COM
