Career Timeline of Kenley Jansen: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Kenley Jansen made an impact.

Kenley Jansen is a professional baseball pitcher from Curaçao, currently playing for the Los Angeles Angels in MLB. He previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Boston Red Sox. He is known as one of the top closers in baseball.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1991: Broke Team Records

In 2015, Jansen broke Jay Howell's team records, set in 1991, of 13 games without a walk to start a season and 20 strikeouts without a walk to start a season.

November 17, 2004: Signed by Dodgers Organization

On November 17, 2004, Jansen was signed as an undrafted free agent catcher by the Dodgers organization and was assigned to the Rookie Class Gulf Coast Dodgers.

2004: Signed by Dodgers

In 2004, Jansen was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an undrafted free agent.

2007: Played for Raptors and Loons

In 2007, Jansen split his time between the Raptors and the Class-A Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League, where he hit .207 in 73 games. He also played in Hawaii Winter Baseball.

2008: Played for Great Lakes Loons

In 2008, Jansen played with the Loons, hitting .227 with 9 home runs in 79 games, and was selected to the mid-season Midwest League All-Star game.

November 19, 2009: Added to Dodgers 40-man Roster

On November 19, 2009, Jansen was added to the Dodgers 40-man roster, marking a step forward in his professional baseball career.

2009: World Baseball Classic and Minor League Season

In 2009, Jansen was the starting catcher for the Netherlands team in the World Baseball Classic. During the regular season, he played for the Inland Empire 66ers and the Albuquerque Isotopes.

2009: Converted to Pitcher

In 2009, the Dodgers convinced Jansen to switch from catcher to pitching due to his offensive struggles. He made the conversion in the second half of the season, working with Charlie Hough.

May 15, 2010: Promoted to Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts

On May 15, 2010, Jansen was promoted to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, and he was later selected for the Southern League All-Star Game.

July 23, 2010: Promoted to the Dodgers

On July 23, 2010, Jansen was promoted to the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking a significant milestone in his career.

2010: First Major League Season

In 2010, Jansen appeared in 25 games for the Dodgers, recording a 1-0 record with a 0.67 ERA and four saves. He also scored his first run and got his first hit in the major leagues.

2010: MLB Debut

In 2010, Jansen made his Major League Baseball debut.

2011: Key Member of Dodgers' Bullpen

In 2011, Jansen became a key member of the Dodgers' bullpen, posting a 2-1 record with a 2.85 ERA and five saves. He also set a new Major League season record with 16+1⁄3 strikeouts per nine innings.

May 2012: Became Dodgers' Closer

In May 2012, Jansen became the Dodgers' closer after Javy Guerra struggled in the role.

2012: Dodgers' Closer

In 2012, Jansen began serving as the Dodgers' closer.

2013: Dodgers Closer

In 2013, Jansen pitched as the closer for the Dodgers, appearing in 75 games with a 4-3 record, a 1.88 ERA, and 28 saves. He pitched in the NLDS and NLCS.

2013: Previous Record

In 2017, Jansen recorded his 36th strikeout of the season, setting an MLB season record for most strikeouts without giving up a walk. The previous record was held by Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright, who struck out 35 batters before giving up a walk in the 2013 season.

February 11, 2014: Signed $4.3 Million Contract

On February 11, 2014, Jansen avoided arbitration by signing a $4.3 million contract with the Dodgers. He was fully established as the Dodgers' closer in 2014.

January 16, 2015: Signed $7.425 Million Contract

On January 16, 2015, Jansen avoided arbitration again, signing a one-year $7.425 million contract with the Dodgers.

January 15, 2016: Signed $10.65 Million Contract

On January 15, 2016, Jansen signed a one-year, $10.65 million contract with the Dodgers, avoiding arbitration in his final year of eligibility.

January 10, 2017: Re-signed with Dodgers for $80 Million

On January 10, 2017, the Dodgers announced they had re-signed Jansen to a five-year, $80 million contract, securing his place with the team.

2017: Postseason Performance and World Series

In 2017, Jansen finished all three games of the Dodgers NLDS sweep of the Diamondbacks, saving two. He allowed two runs in the World Series, including a solo homer by Marwin González, and picked up the loss in Game Five.

2017: Led National League in Saves

In 2017, Jansen led the National League in saves.

2017: Second NL Reliever of the Year Award

In 2017, Jansen was awarded the National League Reliever of the Year Award for the second straight year. He set a record for most strikeouts without a walk, reaching 51 before issuing his first walk of the season. He was also named to his second straight All-Star Game.

June 2018: Five-Out Save

Jansen recorded two extended saves in a series against the Mets, with a 5-out save in the first game of the series and a 4-out save in the fourth game. This was his first five-out save since June 2018 in Pittsburgh.

2018: Third All-Star Game Selection

In 2018, Jansen was chosen for his third straight All-Star Game after a strong performance in May, June, and July.

April 7, 2019: Four-Out Save Against Rockies

On April 7, 2019, Jansen recorded a four-out save against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, contributing to a Dodgers victory.

June 15, 2019: Debuted Intentional Balk

On June 15, 2019, Jansen debuted the intentional balk in a game against the Chicago Cubs. This strategy was designed to prevent runners on second base from stealing signs.

2019: Reached 300 Career Saves

In 2019, Jansen became the 30th pitcher to reach 300 career saves, marking a significant milestone in his career.

2019: Pitched in NLDS

In the 2019 NLDS, Jansen pitched to five batters and did not allow any of them to reach base, contributing to his team's performance.

2020: 2020 Season Performance and World Series

In 2020, Kenley Jansen dealt with a COVID-19 infection affecting his conditioning, pitched 24.1 innings over 27 games with a 3-1 record, a 3.33 ERA, and 11 saves, leading the National League with 24 games finished. He secured a save in the Wild Card Series and pitched in the NLDS and NLCS. In Game 4 of the 2020 World Series, Jansen blew his fourth career World Series save, setting a new World Series record.

2021: 2021 Season and Postseason

On August 25, 2021, Kenley Jansen recorded his 1,000th strikeout in MLB history against Austin Nola. He finished the 2021 season with 38 saves, a 2.22 ERA, and 86 strikeouts in 69 innings. In the National League Wild Card Game, he earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning. He also pitched in the 2021 NLDS and NLCS, recording a save in Game 3 of the NLCS.

March 18, 2022: Signs with the Atlanta Braves

On March 18, 2022, Kenley Jansen signed a one-year, $16 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.

December 13, 2022: Signs with the Boston Red Sox

On December 13, 2022, Kenley Jansen signed a two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox.

2022: Signed with Braves

In 2022, after 11 years with the Dodgers, Jansen entered free agency and signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves. He then signed with the Red Sox.

May 10, 2023: Reaches 400 Saves

On May 10, 2023, Kenley Jansen became the seventh pitcher in MLB history to record 400 saves.

2023: Reached 400 Career Saves

In 2023, Jansen became the 7th pitcher to reach a total of 400 career saves, further solidifying his place in baseball history.

2024: 2024 Season Performance

In 2024, Kenley Jansen began the season as Boston's closer and on April 20, he earned his 425th career save, passing John Franco for fifth place on the all-time list. He finished the 2024 season with 27 saves, a 3.29 ERA, and 62 strikeouts in 54+2⁄3 innings.