Boston Red Sox Closer Kenley Jansen Not Making Trip to Colorado Due to Heart Issue

Kenley Jansen has had his heart shocked three times after facing the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, so he will not be joining the Boston Red Sox in Denver this week.

Jul 5, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74) celebrates after closing the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Relief pitcher Kenley Jansen will not travel with the Boston Red Sox for their road series against the Colorado Rockies this week.

As shared by The Boston Globe's Alex Speier, Jansen said he has had to have his heart shocked three different times after pitching at Coors Field, in 2012, 2018 and 2022. Jansen does not want to risk triggering his atrial fibrillation this time around, so he is bowing out of the trip altogether.

Jansen underwent ablation surgeries in response to the 2012 and 2018 episodes, per The Boston Herald's Gabrielle Starr.

Kenley Jansen said he isn’t going to Colorado. He said he’s had to have his heart shocked 3 different times (2012,2018,2022) after pitching there, and he isn’t comfortable with any further risks. So, he wanted to pitch today to take some of the load off his teammates.

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 22, 2024

Knowing that he wasn't traveling to Denver, Jansen pitched on one day's rest against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. He allowed three hits, a home run and three earned runs in the Red Sox's eventual 9-6 loss.

Jansen already blew a save Saturday, allowing Los Angeles to force extra innings by giving up two hits, a walk and the game-tying run in the bottom of the ninth.

Before his pair of lackluster performances against his former team, Jansen was 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA, 1.080 WHIP and .198 batting average against on the season. He had converted 15 consecutive save opportunities, while Boston had notched wins in each of his previous 13 appearances.

Jansen now boasts a 3.06 ERA, 1.189 WHIP, batting average against and 1.0 WAR through 34 appearances in 2024. The 36-year-old closer narrowly missed out on his fifth All-Star appearance earlier this month, but he did recent jump into fifth place on the all-time saves list.

The Red Sox are now 1.0 game out of the playoff picture, trailing the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals in the AL Wild Card race following the sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.

Colorado, meanwhile, boasts the third-worst record in baseball.

The Red Sox have made just one trip to Coors Field in the last 10 seasons, going 2-0 in 2019. They are 7-3 in their last 10 road games against the Rockies, none of which Jansen appeared in.

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