Former Atlanta Braves closer Kenley Jansen has found a new landing spot, signing with the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Spotrac lists the contract as being for one year at $11 million, which includes a $12 million club option for 2027.
Jansen was Atlanta's closer for the 2022 season, with current Braves closer Raisel Iglesias added as the primary setup option. Since leaving the Braves, Jansen has spent time with the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels, continuing to put up impressive numbers and be a reliable option for the game's final inning despite being 38 and heading into his 17th season.
Interestingly, the closer has a shot at history this season, ranking fourth in all-time saves with 476. This trails third place (Lee Smith) by only two, a number that the veteran should easily surpass this season. However, the first and second spots held by Mariano Rivera (652) and Trevor Hoffman (601) appear safely out of reach. Still, this is an incredible accomplishment that speaks to the longevity of the closer.
For the Braves, there was a potential reunion prior to the front office signing San Diego Padres closer Robert Suarez. This is an undeniable upgrade and appears to set the table for Atlanta to have one of the stronger bullpen units heading into the 2026 season. Still, it is unfortunate that such a legendary player only had one season in Atlanta.
Former Brave Kenley Jansen Joins Tigers' Bullpen
Detroit is coming off a surprising season where the Tigers finished with 87 wins. Having said that, manager A.J. Hinch's bullpen has had a different saves leader in each of the last four seasons, highlighting the need to find someone with stability like Jansen.
Atlanta has both the final innings covered already, adding Suarez to serve as the setup option to the returning Iglesias. The Braves wasted no time or expense adding to a position that so often let the franchise down in the 2025 season.
It is nice to already feel great about the state of the bullpen this early in the offseason. It will be interesting to see if the Braves attempt any further moves, with the only obvious hole being a long relief option. This makes it clear that Jansen simply didn't have a legitimate chance to return to Atlanta this offseason.
Still, it is a great landing spot for the veteran closer that allows Braves fans to pull for the former Atlanta reliever while being confident in the unit that has been built. A great outcome for both sides in an offseason that clearly indicated a sense of urgency for a front office learning from this year's failures.