Kenley Jansen officially is a member of the Boston Red Sox, and he’s looking forward to being part of his new team.
The Red Sox made Jansen’s signing official Tuesday as the closer inked a two-year, $32 million contract with the team. The 35-year-old was welcomed to Boston by chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and president Sam Kennedy with an introductory press conference.
At the press conference, Jansen shared his excitement for not only being a part of the Red Sox but getting his chance to call Fenway Park home.
“Knowing that we’re going to Boston, it’s one of the historic organizations in baseball,” Jansen told reporters, as transcribed by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “Just immediately, the weight that the name ‘Red Sox’ carries gets you excited, gets your adrenaline going. You know this is a historic organization. It’s all about winning here. It definitely gives me even more focus to continue, to get back in that weight room, work hard, and try to be a better player next year.
“(Fenway Park) is one of my favorite places to pitch. When you come to Fenway, the history behind it, you feel like a kid again. That’s what I felt when I was in another uniform playing here. It’s a beautiful place to pitch. The atmosphere, seeing how intense the fans are, they get it… Now that I’m a part of the Red Sox family, it’s going to be even more exciting.”
Jansen will look to sure up the backend of the bullpen for the Red Sox as the team has struggled to find consistency from one guy over the past two seasons.
In his one season with the Atlanta Braves, Jansen finished with a 3.38 ERA and 41 saves, which are numbers Boston would love to see him repeat.
