Philadelphia Phillies Named as Fit For Free Agent Four-Time All-Star Closer

The Philadelphia Phillies could be a great fit for one of the best closers in baseball.

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The Philadelphia Phillies saw their bullpen have an epic collapse in the playoffs which led ultimately to their demise in four games at the hands of the New York Mets in the NLDS.

For a unit that was solid throughout the regular season, the 11.37 ERA they recorded with four home runs allowed was a complete mess and didn't give the team much of a chance to win.

Now, with impending free agencies of two guys who had major roles in Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez, the Phillies could be in for a huge shakeup to the backend of their pitching staff.

One possibility could be a veteran who has made a career of shutting games down in Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen who, despite being 37 years old, is still among the better true closers in the sport.

Leo Morgenstern of Just Baseball named Philadelphia as a team that could be a fit for the free agent.

"After losing [Hoffman] and [Estévez] to free agency, it’s no secret the Phillies are looking for another back-end reliever this winter, most likely a righty," he wrote. "While plenty of fans are hoping for a reunion with Hoffman, Jansen is another realistic target to consider."

While Jansen is a far cry from the consistently dominant reliever he was with the Los Angles Dodgers from 2013-2017, he has still continued to put up solid numbers even as he has aged.

He is as experienced as they come as well, sitting fourth all-time in career saves with 447. He is on the cusp of becoming just the third reliever in Major League history to cross the 500-save threshold.

In 2024, Jansen converted on 27 of his 31 save opportunities and posted a 3.29 ERA over 54.2 innings pitched.

He has not recorded an ERA below 3.00 since 2021, but he has been extremely reliable when it comes to availability.

Since his rookie season, Jansen has not had below 50 appearances in any full season, giving his teams a chance to call upon him as needed.

A short-term deal with Jansen wouldn't exactly blow Phillies fans away, but it has the potential to both a quality and affordable option.