Former Red Sox Closer Kenley Jansen Reportedly Joins AL Team

A former Boston Red Sox pitcher will reportedly join another American League playoff squad.

The Detroit Tigers reached a one-year agreement with Kenley Jansen, pending a physical, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported earlier Saturday afternoon that the two sides were “deep in talks” on finalizing a deal.

Jansen spent two seasons of his decorated career in Boston, recording a 3.44 ERA and 56 combined saves in 2023 and 2024. As the Red Sox received a resurgent 2025 from fellow veteran stopper Aroldis Chapman, Jansen delivered a 2.59 ERA and 0.95 WHIP on a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels.

One of the game’s most prolific relievers, Jansen boasts a 2.57 ERA over 16 seasons. The four-time All-Star has tallied at least 25 saves in each of the last 13 full campaigns, excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020.

Jansen is three saves away from passing Lee Smith for third on the all-time leaderboard. While he’s less likely to catch Mariano Rivera (652) and Trevor Hoffman (601), the 38-year-old may value the opportunity to keep closing.

The Tigers landed another ninth-inning option when re-signing Kyle Finnegan to a two-year, $19 million deal earlier this week. Finnegan flourished after a midseason trade to Detroit, collecting a 1.50 ERA, 23 strikeouts and four walks in 18 innings with his new team before allowing three runs over six postseason appearances.

Finnegan shared save opportunities with Will Vest late in the season, but Jansen could supplant them both as a more definitive closer for Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. The hot stove is relatively quiet in terms of the Red Sox pursuing high-end relievers after they signed Chapman to an extension late in the season.