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

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.