Red Sox’s Kenley Jansen On ‘Awesome’ Fenway Park Atmosphere

Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen has pitched at Fenway Park all but half a season, yet the 35-year-old is enjoying the one-of-a-kind experience of taking the mound in Boston’s cathedral.

Jansen recorded save No. 18 on Wednesday night to help the Red Sox even up their three-game home series with the Rangers, setting up a rubber match for Thursday’s finale with Texas. The 4-2 victory over the Rangers also pushed the Red Sox above the .500 mark, now at 44-43 with four games left before the All-Star break.

“It’s awesome, man. Listening to that ‘Sweet Caroline’ before I start warming up, if it doesn’t get you going, hey, it gets me going,” Jansen said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “You see the fans every day, it don’t matter if we winning or losing, they into it. That gives you a reason to be in it. It just motivates you to come out here and, like I said, it’s an unbelievable ballpark. It’s a blessing for me to just come out here and play in one of the most historic stadiums and it’s fun.”

Jansen improved his ERA to 3.34 after putting the Rangers away, raising his innings pitched total to 29 2/3 with the Red Sox thus far. Having stabilized Boston’s bullpen throughout its difficult season, Jansen’s work amid his 14th year in the big leagues hasn’t gone unrecognized.

Jansen will be the lone Red Sox representative in the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Seattle next week, giving the right-hander his fourth career nomination and the first since 2018 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“It’s a great feeling,” Jansen explained. “It motivates you to continue to keep going. This game is fun and I wanna play it until when I can’t and especially representing the Red Sox also, too. It’s gonna be fun, I’m gonna enjoy it. I’m not gonna take it for granted.”