Dodgers: A closer by committee may be needed for Kenley Jansen

The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a slow, yet improving, start to the 2018 season. Part of that slow start has been the slow start of Kenley Jansen.

Few things are a lock in sports. Russell Westbrook is going to flirt with a triple-double on a nightly basis, Tom Brady will play in at least the AFC Championship Game, Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen is untouchable with a two-run lead.

That may no longer be the case. The same Kenley Jansen that has been so dominant for the Los Angeles Dodgers has looked, well, human this season. Right now, Jansen is a shell of his former menacing self.

Jansen is still an incredibly talented pitcher. When the cutter is moving and the location is there, Jansen has unhittable stuff. The catcher-converted-pitcher has reinvented the closer position while giving fans a familiar look with a cutter that mirrors Mariano Rivera‘s.

Those things are not happening for Jansen. The cutter? Well, it is looking flat and in the low nineties is a meatball waiting to be hit at the big league level. As for the location? Jansen is struggling to find his spots.

His mechanics seem off, he may be hurt or he may be rusty. Is the World Series home run from Marwin Gonzalez still haunting him at night? Occasionally, probably, but that likely has no effect on his performance.

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Whatever is wrong with Jansen is going to take time to improve. Jansen needs time to iron out these kinks. A DL trip is unneeded, instead, Jansen needs to be on the mound, ironing out the kinks himself.

While he does that, the Dodgers should consider moving to a closer by committee system. There is such a stigma around the ninth inning and this idea that one guy, in particular, must close the show. For now, the Dodgers must break that mold and utilize the matchup that gives the team it’s best chance to win.

Realistically, Tony Cingrani, Pedro Baez, JT Chargois and Kenley Jansen should all be available at some time in the seventh, eighth and ninth inning. Each presents their own challenges and worries. Those worries can be minimized in the right matchups.

Dave Roberts and the coaching staff is already keen on matchups in the rest of the bullpen innings, why should that change in the ninth? If the Dodgers are protecting a one-run lead and someone who historically bashes Jansen is up, why take that risk? For a measly save in the box score?

This should not be a long-term solution. Instead, it can be a way to regain confidence in Jansen while throwing him to the wolves at the same time. Put him in a seventh-inning, bases loaded, one out situation like you would with Cingrani, Chargois or Baez. Let one of them do the cleanup duties in the ninth with a two or three-run lead.

That is the only way in which Jansen can iron these kinks without costing the Dodgers any wins. Kenley Jansen is going to have to struggle more before he gets better, that is how baseball works. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, they cannot afford more mediocre performances in close games from Jansen.

Next: Does LA have momentum?

Once that confidence is back and the rust is knocked off, Kenley Jansen should have no problem in returning to dominant form. Until then, though, the Dodgers must utilize the deep bullpen.

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