Braves won’t abandon Kenley Jansen at closer despite clear backup plan

The Atlanta Braves won’t necessarily move on from closer Kenley Jansen, despite the emergence of Raisel Iglesias after the trade deadline.

Jansen is set to be a free agent this offseason, and it’s unlikely he’d return to Atlanta unless he was guaranteed the closer spot in spring training.

The longtime closer was the Braves unquestioned bullpen leader to start the year, but as this unit built depth, it became obvious that Jansen isn’t necessarily the best option to finish games. Raisel Iglesias, acquired by the team around the trade deadline, played quite well in Atlanta. He could very well replace Jansen should he move on to greener pastures.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos commented on Jansen’s free agency, stating that the Braves would love to have him back.

Braves want Kenley Jansen back if possible

“Iglesias came in and he was a great reliever that Snit had available in the 7th or 8th. Being a good bullpen is about having depth…We have Iglesias under contract. He’s a fantastic reliever with experience in all kinds of roles. But if we can get a guy like Jansen back, that would be phenomenal,” Anthopoulos said.

So, despite the emergence of Iglesias, it sounds like the closer job remains Jansen’s to lose next season.

Iglesias’ contract is an issue as well, as Atlanta owes him $16 million next year, and he’s under contract through 2026. Jansen could command a contract near that amount. Is that a number the Braves are comfortable paying both their setup man and closer?

A deep dive into Jansen’s numbers shows some regression, as well, as pointed out here by MLB Trade Rumors’ Maury Ahram:

"“Jansen led the National League in saves with 41, posting a 3.38 ERA in 64 innings with a lofty 32.7% strikeout rate. However, Jansen’s HardHit percentage spiked from 26.1% in 2021 to 32.5% in 2022, and his ground ball rate dropped from 37.3% to 29.1%, the second-lowest mark of his career.”"

Perhaps another short-term deal for Jansen makes sense, especially at a high AAV. But don’t expect Anthopoulos to break the bank when they have greater concerns elsewhere on the roster.