Kenley Jansen’s next stop is officially up in the air after the Tigers declined their $12 million option for 2027 and chose the $2 million buyout instead, sending the veteran closer back into free agency.
Jansen, who pitched for Detroit in 2026, is now looking for a new team as he keeps chasing a milestone that has hovered just ahead of him for years. At 39, he sits third all time with 498 career saves, and the next chapter of his career could determine whether he gets to 500.
That number matters for a reason. Trevor Hoffman, who is second on the all-time list, is well ahead at 601 saves, while Mariano Rivera leads everyone with 652. According to Baseball Reference, only Hoffman and Rivera have ever reached 500 saves, so Jansen needs just two more to join one of the game’s most exclusive clubs.
There’s also a practical angle to his market. Craig Kimbrel, with 441 saves, and Aroldis Chapman, with 402, are the closest active pitchers behind him. Both are 38 or older, which gives Jansen another reason to keep going and preserve his edge in the race among active relievers.
The numbers from 2026 suggest he still has something left. Jason Beck of MLB.com noted that Jansen posted “solid” basic stats last season, including 22 saves and a 3.20 ERA, with a 2.40 ERA from June onward. Beck also wrote that “this winter’s free-agent closer market is thinner than last year,” which could create another path for Jansen to keep climbing toward 500.
Whatever happens next, his Dodgers legacy is already set. Jansen spent the first 12 years of his career in Los Angeles, made three of his four All-Star teams there, and piled up 350 saves in a Dodgers uniform - roughly 70% of his career total. He also struck out 1,022 batters during that stretch and finished with a 18.7 bWAR, per Baseball Reference.
He’s played for five teams already, and 2027 could make it six. But for all the stops along the way, Jansen will always be most closely tied to the Dodgers.
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