Detroit Tigers sign Kenley Jansen to 1-year contract with club option

How should Detroit Tigers upgrade bullpen in 2025-26 offseason? Reliever expert explains

Reliever expert Greg Jewett explains on “Days of Roar” how the Detroit Tigers should upgrade their bullpen with multiple weapons for the 2026 season.

The Detroit Tigers were interested in Kenley Jansen for the second offseason in a row.

This time, Jansen has joined the Tigers.

The Tigers signed Jansen on Saturday, Dec. 13, to a one-year contract for 2026 with a club option for 2027, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement who couldn’t speak publicly because the deal is pending a physical.

The 38-year-old right-handed reliever needs 24 saves to reach 500 saves in his 16-year MLB career – a feat only accomplished by Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman, both with more than 600 saves.

FIVE TEAMS: Tarik Skubal trades: What Dodgers, Mets, Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees could offer Tigers

In 2025, Jansen – a four-time All-Star closer – registered a 2.59 ERA with 19 walks and 57 strikeouts across 59 innings in 62 games for the Los Angeles Angels, racking up 29 saves in 30 chances.

He ranked 33rd with a 2.59 ERA among 144 relieves with at least 50 innings, but his 3.75 expected ERA tied for 89th, suggesting his results exceeded his underlying metrics.

His 24.4% strikeout rate was the lowest mark of his MLB career, but he maintained an average 8.1% walk rate.

Jansen threw four different pitches: 81.4% cutters, 9.2% sinkers, 6.1% sliders and 3.3% sweepers. His cutter averaged 92.8 mph, limited opponents to a .164 batting average and generated a 25.2% whiff rate.

Entering 2026, Jansen ranks fourth on the all-time saves leaderboard in MLB history, with his 476 saves trailing only Rivera (652), Hoffman (601) and Lee Smith (478).

HE’S BACK: Tigers re-sign reliever Kyle Finnegan to two-year, $19 million contract

For the Tigers, manager A.J. Hinch hasn’t named a closer since left-handed reliever Gregory Soto in 2021-22, opting for a bullpen without defined roles since then.

It’s unclear if Jansen will be the Tigers’ closer.

For now, Jansen joins right-handers Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest and left-hander Tyler Holton as the high-leverage relievers in the Tigers’ bullpen for 2026. Three of those relievers secured at least 20 saves in 2025: Jansen with 29 (for the Angels), Finnegan with 24 (for the Washington Nationals and Tigers) and Vest with 23 (for the Tigers).

The newcomer has the longest track record.

Jansen has registered at least 25 saves in 13 of the past 14 seasons, including a career-high 47 saves in 2016 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, plus leading the National League with 41 saves in 2017 with the Dodgers and 2022 with the Atlanta Braves.

[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Days of Roar” your go-to Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

Before the Tigers, Jansen pitched for the Dodgers (2010-21), Braves (2022), Boston Red Sox (2023-24) and Angels (2025). The Dodgers signed Jansen as an international free agent from Curaçao in November 2004.

Jansen was a switch-hitting catcher before becoming a pitcher in 2009.

He made his MLB debut in July 2010.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon during the season and Tuesday afternoon during the offseason on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.