10. Kenley Jansen
Building a fully functioning bullpen has been the one thing that has eluded the Dodgers as they have spent billions of dollars to remain atop the National League for the better part of a decade. The Dodgers have had a hard time building the bridge between their star-studded rotation and All-Star closer Kenley Jansen (this, not a lack of postseason “clutch gene” is what has hurt ace Clayton Kershaw, who is always stretched one or two batters too far because there’s no one else to handle the seventh inning). Jansen was always a lock, but that has changed this year.
Since signing his five-year, $80-million contract to stay in Los Angeles, the three-time All-Star has endured two rocky seasons. He wraps the 2019 season with a career-worst 3.71 ERA and has allowed nine home runs in 63 innings of work. Jansen’s strikeout rate is back up over 11 per-nine after dipping last year, but he has blown eight saves. The 31-year-old has a 4.44 ERA in the second half, but seems to have things clicking in September, where he has held opponents to a .171/.255/.220 line with no home runs.
Jansen had been practically unhittable in October before beginning to show some cracks during the 2017 World Series. He allowed runs in three straight games of the Fall Classic, blowing a save in Game 2 and taking the loss in extra innings in Game 4. Jansen blew two saves in the Dodgers return to the World Series last season.
If the Dodgers are to end their lengthy World Series drought, they cannot afford to have their high-priced closer struggle. Jansen still has a 2.08 career playoff ERA, but that mark jumps up to 3.55 in the World Series. It’s not all on Jansen to win the Dodgers the World Series, but he is clearly important.