Kenley Jansen loved 10 straight years of playoff baseball earlier than signing a two-year, $32M free-agent contract with the Pink Sox through the 2022-23 offseason, and, barring a late surge from Boston within the final two weeks of play, Jansen is now on tempo for back-to-back with none postseason motion.
As he heads into free company this winter, it subsequently isn’t stunning that Jansen is “at all times gonna search for successful. Contending,” the nearer informed MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. “That’s going to be my precedence…I need to be in a state of affairs the place we are able to contend for a title. That’s it.”
This doesn’t essentially imply Jansen wouldn’t contemplate a return to the Sox, as Jansen praised the group’s younger expertise and stated he “had a blast sporting this uniform, enjoying for these followers.”
Whilst he approaches his thirty seventh birthday, Jansen has no plans to retire, suggesting that he’d wish to pitch “a minimum of till I’m 40-42.” There isn’t a lot on-field proof that Jansen is operating out of steam, as he stays an efficient late-game weapon with a 3.48 ERA in 51 2/3 innings and 26 saves in 30 possibilities for Boston in 2024.
Jansen figures to get loads of consideration in free company this winter, and Cotillo means that the Yankees may have a look at Jansen as a possible alternative for Clay Holmes. The Pink Sox and Giants had been the one groups publicly linked to Jansen’s market in his prior stint as a free agent, however Cotillo writes that New York “made a severe run at Jansen earlier than he” joined the Pink Sox.
Extra from across the AL East….
- Sticking with the Yankees, DJ LeMahieu mentioned his hip impingement with The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, saying that he obtained a cortisone shot on Thursday to hopefully assist the therapeutic course of. LeMahieu hasn’t performed since Sept. 3, however he believes he’ll have the ability to return to New York’s lineup earlier than the season is over. Whereas gamers typically have a extra optimistic view of their accidents, this does symbolize a extra optimistic outlook than supervisor Aaron Boone’s extra non-committal reply earlier this week, when the skipper stated, “I wouldn’t essentially rule [a LeMahieu return] out, however I wouldn’t depend on it, both.” In between this harm and the foot concern that price him the primary two months of motion, LeMahieu has struggled to a .204/.269/.259 slash line over 228 plate appearances this season. Even when he’s wholesome sufficient to play, LeMahieu’s lack of manufacturing may nicely price him a spot on New York’s playoff roster.
- Jacob Webb’s activation from the Orioles’ injured listing may occur through the group’s present sequence with the Tigers, supervisor Brandon Hyde informed MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and different reporters. Earlier than a bout of elbow irritation despatched him to the 15-day IL on Aug. 4, Webb was considered one of Baltimore’s extra strong relievers, delivering a 3.08 ERA over 49 2/3 innings and 53 appearances out of the Orioles bullpen. Of the numerous gamers on the Orioles’ IL, Webb appears closest to returning, although Danny Coulombe is constant a minor league rehab task and may not be far off. Jordan Westburg has resumed baseball actions and is hitting in a batting cage as he works his approach again from a fractured hand.
- Ryan Mountcastle continues to be within the early phases of a hitting development, however Hyde wasn’t certain if the Orioles first baseman will probably be again earlier than the common season is over. Mountcastle’s IL stint as a result of a sprained left wrist started on Aug. 23, and he has hit .265/.305/.425 with 13 house runs in 485 PA. As Kubatko writes, the lack of Mountcastle’s regular manufacturing has been extra evident since first-base alternative Ryan O’Hearn has been caught in an unsightly stoop.
