(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Freek Bouw)
   Dodgers confirm return of Kenley Jansen
Nederlands
 LOS ANGELES, California (USA) -
Towards the end of the afternoon on Tuesday (January 10), the Los Angeles Dodgers officially confirmed that pitcher Kenley Jansen has been signed by the club.
With that, the closer returns to the club where he has played his entire Major League-career since making his debut in 2010 at the highest professional level.
...Kenley Jansen...
...officially back with the Dodgers...
(© Photo: Freek Bouw/Phrake Photography) |
At the end of last season, the 29-year old righthanded closer became a Free Agent.
On December 12, it was first reported that Jansen had re-signed with the Dodgers, but the agreement was not confirmed until today.
Jansen signed for five year and 80 million dollar with an opt-out after three years.
After the signing was confirmed, Jansen was placed on the 40-man roster of the Dodgers.
Jansen's contract is one of the biggest for relievers and the biggest offered to relievers by the Dodgers.
During the Winter Meetings last December, closer Aroldis Chapman returned to the New York Yankees for 5-years and 86 million dollar to set a record for relievers.
The deal exceeded the contract that was signed a few days earlier by Mark Melancon, who had signed for four years and 62 million dollar with the San Franscisco Giants.
Last season, the Curaçao-born Kenley Jansen earned 47 saves and struckout 104 batters in 68 2/3 inning.
Halfway the season, he pitched in his first All Star Game and after completion of the season, he was named National League Reliever of the Year.
After having made his Major League-debut in 2010, Jansen became the prime closer for the Dodgers in 2012.
He earned a then career-high 44 saves in 2014, added 36 the next year and improved his personal-high to 47 last season.
Jansen also led the Major League last season with the lowest opponent batting average (.150).
Jansen now has 189 saves in his career and with that set a franchise-record with the Dodgers, passing Eric Gagne.
He is 19-13 with a 2.20 ERA and has struckout 632 batters in 408 2/3 inning.
His 632 strikeouts also are a Dodger-record for relievers, as he passed Jim Brewer, who had 604 strikeouts in his career.
In the Play-Offs against Washington Nationals (NLDS) and Chicago Cubs (NLCS), Jansen made seven appearances for the Dodgers and earned three saves.
In five of these games, he pitched more than one inning.
Kenley Jansen began his career as a catcher, but was transformed into a pitcher during his years in the Minor Leagues with the Dodgers.
In 2009, he made his debut in the Netherlands National Team as a catcher during the World Baseball Classic.
Later in the year, he again played for the Orange squad during the World Championship in Europe, but this time as a pitcher.
Jansen also was with the team during the Semi-Final of the World Baseball Classic 2013.
(January 10)
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