MLB free agency 2017: 5 potential teams for Kenley Jansen

Oct 7, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74) pitches against the Washington Nationals in the eighth inning during game one of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

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Sep 16, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Sam Dyson (47) pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Rangers defeat the A /

Texas Rangers

For a team that won over a third of its 95 games by one run, the Texas Rangers did not have a very good bullpen in 2016. The Rangers ranked 25th in all of baseball with a 4.40 bullpen ERA. Solid pitchers a year ago, Shawn Tolleson and Keone Kela struggled to 7.68 and 6.09 ERAs. Tolleson began the year as the closer, but lost his job to Sam Dyson. Losing Jeremy Jeffress to alcohol-related issues shortly after acquiring him did not help matters, but Jeffress should be back in 2017.

Several members of the Texas bullpen pitched very well in 2016, including Dyson, Tony Barnette, Jake Diekman and rookie Matt Bush. As a whole, however, this is a bullpen short on “strikeout stuff,” and they collectively ranked 29th in baseball with 425 strikeouts. The importance of relievers possessing the ability to miss bats in high-leverage situations was on full display throughout the 2016 postseason.

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Signing Jansen would give the Rangers a closer with the ability to limit contact more effectively. It would also allow Jeff Banister to move Dyson and Bush up an inning into setup and middle-relief roles that they may be better suited for. Reducing traffic on the bases in the sixth and seventh innings will allow the Rangers to stay out of many of the situations that led to so many one-run and come-from-behind wins in 2016.

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