Kenley Jansen loved ten straight years of playoff baseball earlier than signing a two-year, $32MM free agent contract with the Crimson Sox in the course of the 2022-23 offseason, and barring a late surge from Boston within the final two weeks of play, Jansen is now on tempo for back-to-back with none postseason motion. As he heads into free company this winter, it due to this fact isn’t shocking that Jansen is “at all times gonna search for successful. Contending,” the nearer instructed MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. “That’s going to be my precedence…I need to be in a scenario the place we will contend for a title. That’s it.” This doesn’t essentially imply Jansen wouldn’t think about a return to the Sox, as Jansen praised the crew’s younger expertise and mentioned he “had a blast sporting this uniform, enjoying for these followers.”
Whilst he approaches his thirty seventh birthday, Jansen has no plans to retire, suggesting that he’d prefer to pitch “at the least till I’m 40-42.” There isn’t a lot on-field proof that Jansen is operating out of steam, as he stays an efficient late-game weapon with a 3.48 ERA in 51 2/3 innings and 26 saves in 30 possibilities for Boston in 2024. Jansen figures to get quite a lot of consideration in free company this winter, and Cotillo means that the Yankees may take a look at Jansen as a possible substitute for Clay Holmes. The Crimson Sox and Giants have been the one groups publicly linked to Jansen’s market in his prior stint as a free agent, however Cotillo writes that New York “made a critical run at Jansen earlier than he” joined the Crimson Sox.
Extra from across the AL East….
- Sticking with the Yankees, DJ LeMahieu mentioned his hip impingement with The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, saying that he acquired a cortisone shot on Thursday to hopefully help the therapeutic course of. LeMahieu hasn’t performed since September 3 however he believes he’ll have the ability to return to New York’s lineup earlier than the season is over. Whereas gamers typically have a extra optimistic view of their accidents, this does characterize a extra optimistic outlook than supervisor Aaron Boone’s extra non-committal reply earlier this week, when the skipper mentioned “I wouldn’t essentially rule it [a LeMahieu return] out, however I wouldn’t rely on it, both.” In between this harm and the foot situation that price him the primary two months of motion, LeMahieu has struggled to a .204/.269/.259 slash line over 228 plate appearances this season. Even when he’s wholesome sufficient to play, LeMahieu’s lack of manufacturing may effectively price him a spot on New York’s playoff roster.
- Jacob Webb’s activation from the Orioles’ injured checklist may occur in the course of the crew’s present collection with the Tigers, supervisor Brandon Hyde instructed MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and different reporters. Earlier than a bout of elbow irritation despatched him to the 15-day IL on August 4, Webb was certainly one of Baltimore’s extra stable relievers, delivering a 3.08 ERA over 49 2/3 innings and 53 appearances out of the Orioles bullpen. Of the various gamers on the Orioles’ IL, Webb appears closest to returning, although Danny Coulombe is continuous a minor league rehab project and won’t be far off. Jordan Westburg has resumed baseball actions and is hitting in a batting cage as he works his approach again from a fractured hand.
- Ryan Mountcastle remains to be within the early phases of a hitting development, however Hyde wasn’t positive if the Orioles first baseman shall be again earlier than the common season is over. Mountcastle’s IL stint as a consequence of a sprained left wrist started on August 23, and he has hit .265/.305/.425 with 13 dwelling runs in 485 PA. As Kubatko writes, the lack of Mountcastle’s regular manufacturing has been extra obtrusive since first base substitute Ryan O’Hearn has been caught in an unsightly hunch.