The Detroit Tigers received a concerning update involving veteran closer Kenley Jansen on Thursday just hours before their series finale against the Los Angeles Angels. Jansen landed on the 15-day injured with pelvic inflammation, the latest setback in a groin and abdomen issue that has nagged the 38-year-old throughout May.
The IL placement arrived six weeks after Jansen moved into third place on the all-time saves list, raising fresh questions about his Hall of Fame trajectory.
The Tigers had already flagged Jansen as day-to-day on May 2, per a Cody Stavenhagen report for The Athletic. He logged one appearance between April 30 and May 9, then returned to the mound for several weeks before the ailment resurfaced Tuesday night, making an IL trip unavoidable.
With Detroit carrying a 4-0 advantage into the ninth, Jansen recorded two outs before the training staff intervened and he exited. Brenan Hanifee came on to retire the final batter. Left-hander Drew Sommers was recalled to fill the vacant roster spot, according to Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors.
Jansen’s Tigers Career and Hall of Fame Case
The move arrived less than six weeks after Jansen passed Lee Smith for sole possession of third place on the all-time saves list. On April 14, he registered career save No. 479 in a Detroit win over the Kansas City Royals, leaving him behind only Mariano Rivera (652) and Trevor Hoffman (601), per career saves data posted by Baseball Reference.
His career résumé goes well beyond those numbers. Through 951 appearances over 17 seasons, Jansen owns a 2.61 ERA, 1,297 strikeouts across 942.1 innings and a career WHIP of 0.966. He is a four-time All-Star, selected in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2023, and a two-time winner of the Trevor Hoffman Award, presented annually to the National League’s best reliever. He claimed that honor in consecutive seasons, 2016 and 2017, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also holds a World Series ring from the Dodgers’ 2020 championship.
The 2026 season, his first in Detroit on a one-year, $11 million deal, has been a departure from his recent form. Jansen carries a 4.80 ERA and seven saves in 15 innings. His walk rate has climbed to 14.5%, nearly double his career mark of 7.8% and a sharp contrast to 2025, when he posted a 2.59 ERA and 29 saves across 62 appearances for the Los Angeles Angels.
Jansen Could Become Second Curaçao-Born Hall of Famer
Born in Willemstad, Curaçao, Jansen arrived with the Dodgers as an international free agent signee, originally recruited as a catcher, before converting to the mound and making his major league debut on July 24, 2010.
A Hall of Fame election would position Jansen as only the second Curaçao-born player inducted into Cooperstown. The first was outfielder Andruw Jones, who drew 78.4% of the BBWAA vote in his ninth ballot appearance and was inducted earlier in 2026, according to a Hall of Fame report from MLB.com. Jones, who won 10 consecutive Gold Glove Awards with the Atlanta Braves, was recognized as the first Curaçao-born player elected to Cooperstown.
Jansen’s Hall of Fame eligibility begins five years after he retires. His 483 career saves rank third all-time â and Rivera and Hoffman, the only pitchers ahead of him, are both in the Hall of Fame.
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