Kenley Jansen’s career in Los Angeles as a defensive specialist from Curaçao, but his journey took a historic turn when the organization converted him from a catcher into a relief pitcher in 2009. Armed with a natural, cut-fastball that defied physics, he moved through the system with lightning speed. Across 12 seasons in Chavez Ravine, he evolved into the most prolific "door-shutter" in the history of the franchise
Since his debut in 2010, Jansen elevated his consistency and became the full-time closer by 2012. He relied on a specialized cutter, similar to Mariano Rivera's signature pitch, to effectively strike out batters and achieve remarkable strikeout numbers. By 2015, he reached an exceptional level of efficiency, maintaining a WHIP below 0.800 for four consecutive years. During this period, he achieved an extraordinary 10.00 SO/BB ratio on two occasions.
Between 2016 and 2017, he authored a remarkable campaign in '17, finishing fifth in the Cy Young voting. He led the National League with 41 saves and posted a tiny 1.32 ERA. As a dominant force in late innings, he received back-to-back Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Awards and was named the Sporting News Reliever of the Year both seasons. During this period, he became a regular participant in the Midsummer Classic, earning three straight All-Star selections and establishing himself as the top high-leverage reliever in the Senior Circuit.
After years of postseason heartbreak, Jansen served as a primary engine for the squad that finally captured the World Series title. He finalized his residency in Blue following the 2021 season, departing for Atlanta as the franchise’s all-time saves leader with 350.
Jansen compiled 350 saves, a 2.37 ERA, and 1,022 strikeouts as a Dodger.
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