"I told Kenley to go home."
The Red Sox’ 2024 season officially came to a close on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park.
But Boston’s All-Star closer, Kenley Jansen, left Fenway Park a few days earlier.
Alex Cora revealed on Friday that Jansen “went home” ahead of Boston’s final series of the 2024 campaign — just a few days after the team was finally eliminated from postseason contention.
Even though Jansen was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation last Sunday and was not expected to pitch the rest of the year, his early absence before Game 162 wrapped was still an interesting decision by one of the few veterans in the clubhouse.
And according to MassLive’s Sean McAdam, Jansen’s decision to pack his bags before the 2024 season wrapped drew the ire of several of his teammates.
“Multiple players, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity, registered their disappointment over Jansen’s early departure, though one added: “I can’t say I’m too surprised.” Jansen was known to be somewhat aloof during his time with the Sox, at times unsure of some teammates’ names,” McAdam wrote.
“According to one Red Sox player, Jansen entered the training room last Sunday before his team’s split doubleheader with the Minnesota Twins and announced that he would pitch in the first game and that would be it. Indeed, somewhat strangely, he pitched the top of the ninth inning of a game in which the Sox were leading by eight runs. He later told reporters that he was done pitching for the season, and suggested they confirm that with the team.”
Speaking ahead of Boston’s season finale on Sunday, Cora was asked about Jansen’s departure, as well as the fact that the nameplate above Jansen’s locker had already been removed.
“I told Kenley to go home,” Cora said. “So if they’re upset, they should come to my office and ask me. We talked during the week. There’s other stuff that is going on with Kenley, too. But the manager decided for him, ‘Hey, we’re out of it. So if you want to go home, you go home.’ And he went home.”
Jansen closed out his second season in Boston with a 3.29 ERA and 62 strikeouts over 54.2 innings of work. The 36-year-old closer posted 27 saves in 31 opportunities and finished with 56 saves over 64 total opportunities during his tenure with the Red Sox.
Given Jansen’s early exit, his pending free agency, and his candid comments about Boston’s quiet offseason earlier this winter, the writing is on the wall that the longtime reliever has thrown his last pitch in a Red Sox jersey.
“I definitely feel frustrated,” Jansen told WEEI’s Rob Bradford during spring training. “I came here for two years where Year 1 we were going to compete but by Year 2 they were really going to go after it. I get it, there have been a lot of changes in this organization. They have a different vision now. I get it. It’s part of business. But at the same time I have one more year left here and I’m going to give the fans the best that I have.”
