Dave Roberts has every right to call out Dodgers fans booing Kenley Jansen

Everybody has the “right” to voice their opinion. However, opinions can be wrong, shortsighted or unfounded. So while the “right” exists, perhaps we could all possess a little more tact.

That goes for some Los Angeles Dodgers fans, who have seemingly “had enough” with closer Kenley Jansen despite the fact he’s been one of the best closers in the league this year. As for the team as a whole?

LA sits at 59-38, despite countless injuries, and just two games back of the MLB-best San Francisco Giants.

So if we’re talking about your “rights” as a fan, it’s safe to say you have no leg to stand on if you’re booing Jansen after he blew a save against the Giants on Wednesday night.

The man is a Dodgers legend and is having his best campaign in four years. He has a 2.15 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 37.2 innings. He’s blown just four saves in 25 chances.

He gave up runs in back-to-back outings and cost the Dodgers two games his last two outings … but up until that point he hadn’t surrendered a run since May 28 and blew just two saves.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called out fans booing Kenley Jansen.

Is this really the energy you want surrounding your team during the second half? Sure, you could argue Jansen has “only one job,” but being a closer isn’t easy. How many elite ones can you count across the sport? Just be glad you don’t have Aroldis Chapman coming in to hold down the fort in the ninth … or Edwin Diaz … or Will Smith (Braves). Things could always be worse.

That’s why manager Dave Roberts was totally in line to call out the booing Dodgers fans after Wednesday’s game.

"“Fans certainly have a right to voice their frustrations,” Roberts said after Wednesday night’s game. “I get that. But I do believe that this guy, born and raised as a Dodger, what he does — he cares about the Dodgers, the fan base, and he’s shown that on the field, off the field. No one hurts more than he does, to be quite honest. He’s worked really hard to kind of get back, should’ve been an All-Star this year, and he’s had a fantastic season. … He was looking forward to pitching at home. And so for it to not go well — yeah, I’m disappointed to hear [the boos]. Certainly. He’s not gonna say it, but I am.”"

Up until Wednesday, Jansen was 4-for-4 in save opportunities against the Giants. Before Sunday, he was 2-for-2 in save opportunities against the Rockies. You want to boo Jansen? You had your chance. That time existed between the second half of 2018 through the 2020 season.

Now? Your one job is to sit back and enjoy the second-best record in baseball. Yeah, it’s that easy.

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