Dodgers: 3 options to keep the closer spot warm if Kenley Jansen isn’t ready

If Kenley Jansen isn’t ready for the start of the season, who could close games for the Los Angeles Dodgers?

The Los Angeles Dodgers reported for summer camp last week, but several players are still missing, including closer Kenley Jansen. While the official reason for Jansen’s absence is unknown, it is easy to speculate it could be related to Covid-19 safety protocols.

Whatever the circumstances leading to the right-hander to miss the start of camp, the Dodgers remain optimistic that he will be able to join the team sooner rather than later. That said, manager Dave Roberts admitted this week that he has at least thought about alternative options to close games should Jansen need extra time to get his arm ready for regular season action.

The Dodgers are set to open the season in two weeks against the San Francisco Giants.

Jansen has had heart problems in the past, although he had surgery in 2018 to correct the issue. While he could be at higher risk to severe illness from the novel coronavirus, he recently indicated on 710 ESPN Los Angeles that he wasn’t concerned about it.

“I don’t want to live my life in fear of something,” Jansen said. “I’m going to be cautious, make sure I wash my hands, if I’m in a clubhouse, just keep my distance. But health-wise I think I’m fine, I feel great, thank God.”

The veteran closer is looking for a rebound season after spending time improving his mechanics at Driveline Baseball this offseason. He looked sharp in Spring Training in March, striking out 11 of the 22 batters he faced, allowing just four hits in six appearances.

However, if the Dodgers do need to start the season without Jansen – whether his current absence turns into a longer-term issue or if he needs time to stretch out his arm again – there are plenty of options to fill in at the closer role.

Unfortunately, set-up man Pedro Baez is also missing from camp for unknown reasons, so the list of candidates starts a little deeper in the bullpen.

Dodgers who could fill in for Kenley Jansen at closer: Joe Kelly

While this isn’t the most ideal option, when you start going through the alternatives, if Kenley Jansen and Pedro Baez are both unavailable to start the season, Joe Kelly quickly becomes one of the top candidates for the closer role, especially if you want someone with a little bit of experience pitching in high leverage situations.

Granted, if you watched the 2019 postseason, you are already having scary flashbacks. But if you also watched the 2018 postseason, when Kelly was pitching for the Red Sox, you know what he can do in big spots. In the World Series against the Dodgers, the right-hander didn’t allow a run in five appearances.

If Roberts needs someone to take on the closing duties for a few weeks without impacting their role for the rest of the season, perhaps a veteran like Kelly is the right man for the job. He has pitched in all types of situations, he could handle the adjustment, and could easily slide back to his set-up role when Jansen or Baez return.

While Kelly might not get you excited about the alternatives to replace Jansen, this next potential candidate will.

Dodgers who could fill in for Kenley Jansen at closer: Dustin May

This is an intriguing option, especially since the Dodgers will be carrying extra pitchers on their roster to start the regular season. Teams are allowed to carry 30 players for the first two weeks of the schedule. If manager Dave Roberts wants to provide top prospect Dustin May regular work without putting him in the rotation, perhaps the closing role is a good spot for him.

May was already hitting 99 MPH on the radar gun in summer camp this week. He has electric stuff to mow down hitters at the end of a game. Imagine a 6-foot-6 right-hander barreling down on opponents with a heavy sinker and nasty curveball to keep them off balance.

The 22-year-old made his major league debut last season, appearing in 14 games (10 in relief) and pitched to a 3.63 ERA with strong underlying numbers contributing to his 2.90 FIP (fielding independent pitching). His sinker produced a 44.4% ground ball rate and when hitters did get lift on the ball, May mostly kept them in the ballpark with a 7.4% HR/FB rate.

If the Dodgers have to go a short while without Kenley in the back of the pen, perhaps no other option would be more exciting than seeing Dustin May get the final three outs.