Kenley Jansen's latest Dodgers plea had weirdest timing yet

Before the season even got started, there were rumors that Kenley Jansen would be headed back to LA. It wasn't about his effectiveness as a closer in his most recent tenure with the Red Sox — he has a 2.96 ERA and 47 saves a year and a half into his contract — but rather Boston's desperation to decrease payroll in the offseason.

Jon Heyman was particularly attached to the idea of a Dodgers-Jansen reunion, but nothing ever came of the speculation, even after now long-gone reliever Nabil Crismatt changed his number to free up Jansen's 74 in late April and reignited rumors.

However, as the trade deadline nears, it's become even more apparent that the Red Sox will be parting ways with their closer at the end of his contract, if not by July 30, and the bigger question is who will chase him? Even players as senior and decorated as Jansen rarely have much of a say where they get traded, so any overtures will probably have to wait until after the season. Still, during an appearance on Foul Territory, Jansen made an entreaty of his own. He said he " see myself retiring in Dodger blue."

This was, frankly, a crazy thing for Jansen to say while he was appearing on a podcast wearing Red Sox red, but it does send out a message to the Dodgers: if they're willing to take him, he'll be in LA with bells on.

Possible Red Sox trade candidate Kenley Jansen wants to "see retiring in Dodger blue"

Dodgers' relievers have shaped up a lot since April and May, when getting more bullpen arms was looking like it'd be one of LA's top priorities at the deadline. Since then, relievers have worked their collective ERA down to 3.33, the fourth best in baseball. And anyway, the Dodgers have some much bigger (and more expensive) fish to fry now that they've lost three starters to the IL for the foreseeable future and another demoted to the minors for terrible performance.

So while getting Jansen would be nice for old times' sake, is it really necessary? Evan Phillips missed some time this season with injury, but he's been more than productive since he returned, with a 2.28 ERA and 14 saves. The Dodgers seem to love him and he's making $12 million less than Jansen this season, so why mess with a good thing?

If Jansen would accept a set-up man role with the Dodgers instead of reassuming the closer crown, then maybe he could fit in LA again. It would probably be of an ego blow for a pitcher who has finished 639 games in his 15-year career, but hey, it would allow him to retire in Dodger blue. Check back in November.