TEMPE, Ariz. — Four days after it was announced that the Angels and veteran closer Kenley Jansen agreed to a one-year $10 million contract, it is finally official.
Jansen joins a young Angels bullpen where he is the only player in his 30s. Robert Stephenson will be the second player in his 30s to join the roster once he comes back from rehabbing his Tommy John surgery. The 37-year-old closer is currently fourth all-time in saves with 447 and trails Lee Smith for third by 31.
The young players on the roster and being close to home played a large factor in Jansen’s decision to sign with the Angels. Jansen spent 12 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers and says that his wife and three of his four children still live in Southern California.
Ron Washington said Kenley Jansen arrived this morning and the first thing he did was go to the field Washington was running infield drills and told Washington how happy he is to be here.
— Jack Janes (@JackJanes_) February 15, 2025
Given his stature in the game and the youth in the Angels’ bullpen, Jansen will be looked at as a mentor on top of being the closer.
“It's a very young, excited team around here,” Jansen said. “I want to just bring in my experience to how we're going to get better.”
Manager Ron Washington spoke highly of Jansen, noting that all Jansen wants to do is win and do anything to help the team win. Washington and Jansen previously crossed paths in 2022 when Jansen signed with the Atlanta Braves and Washington was the third base coach.
“The experience, know-how, never getting shaken by anything out there because everything that can happen at the back of the game, he's been involved in it,” Washington said. “I think he's going to do a good job of helping our young kids with their preparation and mental status.”
One of those young pitchers in the Angels bullpen is flame-throwing Ben Joyce. The 24-year-old took over closer duties after the Angels traded Carlos Estévez to the Philadelphia Phillies at last year’s trade deadline. Joyce went 4-for-4 in save opportunities in his month of closing.
Joyce averaged 102.1 miles per hour on his fastball last season and held the crown of throwing the fastest pitch in the majors at 105.5 miles per hour. The power pitcher tossed 34.2 innings and had a 2.08 ERA, and pitchers around the league took notice, especially Jansen.
“I'm excited,” Jansen said. “I watched him pitch from the other side, it's something very special. I think he’s going to be an unbelievable closer in the future. I'm here to help. I want to push him. I want him to push me.”
Joyce shared the same excitement to work with Jansen and said it’s going to be awesome learning from Jansen by picking his brain every day.
With the addition of Jansen, Joyce’s opportunities to close games this season are slim. Washington said that Joyce will be their eighth-inning guy as a setup man to Jansen. Even if he’s labeled as the setup man, Joyce will still get some chances to shut the door for the Angels this season.
“Ben will save some games because Kenley's not going to be able to go all the time,” Washington said. “We've just got to watch how we use him so we can keep him available for whatever is necessary.”
Being moved from closer to setup man isn’t something that Joyce is too concerned about right now. Joyce said if his role is the setup man, he’s going to make the most out of it and do whatever will help the team win games.
The role that Joyce takes on doesn’t matter to him as much as this opportunity to learn from one of the best closers of this generation.
“Whatever inning I end up being in, I think I can still obviously pick his brain and just the way he approaches the game,” Joyce says. “He's been doing it for a long time at a high level, and whatever I can take from him, I'm excited to do it.”