Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen has long been the subject of trade rumors. The Red Sox hoped to dish him over the offseason with no success, then made their plans to trade him before the trade deadline public.
The countless rumors haven't made Jansen's tenure in Boston the easiest, but the veteran has recently silenced many doubters. He's pitched to a 0.57 ERA in his last 15 outings and he's been integral to the Sox's June and July hot streak.
It may not make sense for the Red Sox to try and trade Jansen anymore after how well he's played in recent outings. But recent comments from Jansen suggest he dreams of playing elsewhere before he retires.
On the July 11 edition of the "Foul Territory" podcast, Jansen stated he hopes to retire as a Los Angeles Dodger. The closer pitched in the Dodgers organization for 12 years and he earned three All-Star nods in that time.
Kenley Jansen says he would like to retire as a Dodger days after saying he wants to finish this season with the Red Sox
"I wanna see myself retiring in Dodger blue"@kenleyjansen74 talks about whether he could realistically finish his career with the @Dodgers pic.twitter.com/hBCP9J99aO
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 11, 2024
"I want to see myself retiring in Dodger blue, but is it a reality? No. . . I don't have control over that," Jansen said. "I don't know what they're thinking and, at the end of the day, it's a business."
Jansen is clearly loyal to the club that he spent the majority of his career pitching for, but he also recently told The Boston Globe's Alex Speier that he wants to play the rest of the season in Boston. His and the Red Sox's recent hot streak may push a deadline deal involving the hurler out of the question.
In fairness to Jansen, he specified that he hoped to join the Dodgers organization as a free agent. Boston won't likely pursue an extension or a free-agent contract with him as fellow closer Liam Hendriks is nearing his return to action.
The Red Sox are going to choose either a "buy" or "sell" path before the coming trade deadline, and their recent play continues to advocate for additions before July 30. If Boston buys, Jansen may not be going anywhere this season, and he could safely retire as a Dodger next year without the Sox having to make a trade.