Well… the Detroit Tigers didn’t wait long to keep the bullpen makeover rolling.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Tigers have reached agreement on a one-year contract with veteran reliever Kenley Jansen, pending a physical. It’s the second bullpen move of the week after Detroit locked up Kyle Finnegan to a two-year deal at the Winter Meetings, and this one adds a whole lot of experience, name recognition, and late-inning swagger.
Why This Move Matters
You don’t bring in Kenley Jansen unless you’re serious about stabilizing the back end of games. Even at 37, Jansen was still highly effective in 2025:
- 2.59 ERA
- 29 saves
- 59 innings
- 57 strikeouts
- 0.949 WHIP
Those numbers aren’t “washed veteran” stats, they’re “still knows exactly what he’s doing” stats.
He’s entering Year 16 of his big-league career, and his profile hasn’t changed much: cutter-heavy, attack the zone, limit traffic, don’t blink in high-leverage moments. The Tigers don’t have many pitchers with 400+ career saves walking around the clubhouse. Jansen brings that, plus four All-Star appearances, a World Series ring, and a résumé that commands instant respect.
How Jansen Fits Into Detroit’s Plans
President of baseball operations Scott Harris clearly decided the bullpen needed veteran insulation — not just more arms, but reliable ones. Re-Signing Kyle Finnegan was Step 1. Jansen is Step 2.
With Jansen on board, Detroit suddenly has flexibility:
- He can close if needed.
- He can be the eighth-inning stabilizer.
- He can serve as a mentor for younger arms.
- He can save the Tigers when matchups or schedules stretch the bullpen thin.
Even at his age, Jansen has shown almost no signs of crumbling, his ERA has stayed in the low-to-mid 3s for most of the last decade, and last season’s bounce-back to 2.59 shows he still has plenty in the tank.
