With all due respect to Eric Gagne, who won the Cy Young in 2003, we think that Kenley Jansen is the greatest closer in Dodgers history.
Jansen came to Baseball via Curacao, converting from a Catcher to the Relief Pitcher in the Dodgers minor league system, and six years after he was signed, in 2010, he made his debut for Los Angeles. A flamethrowing closer in the Minors, L.A. knew they would have their ninth-inning guy, and he became that in 2012.
Jansen was solid in this role, seemingly improving every year, and by 2015, he was considered the elite reliever in the NL. From that year to 2018, Jansen kept his WHIP under 0.800, with him finishing over 10.00 in SO/BB twice. An All-Star each year from 2016 to 2018, Jansen was fifth in Cy Young voting in 2017 and was the Reliever of the Year in 2016 and 2017. The Sporting News also named Jansen their Pitcher of the Year in both campaigns.
The hurler had seven 30-plus Save years, including three over 40. In 2020, Jansen was still elite, and after many times in the playoffs, he and the Dodgers finally won it all. With nothing left to prove, Jansen signed with Atlanta in 2022 and amassed a franchise-leading 350 Saves for L.A..
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