Red Sox $32 Million All-Star Projected To Be Top-Tier Fit For Phillies

The former Boston star likely will land with a contender this offseason
May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

One former Boston Red Sox All-Star is one of the most underrated players available in free agency right now.

The free-agent bullpen market has moved extremely slowly and former Red Sox All-Star Kenley Jansen still is out there on the open market. He had a two-year, $32 million deal with Boston and now is available for any team to grab.

Most of the chatter this offseason about the bullpen market has been about Kirby Yates, Tanner Scott, and Jeff Hoffman before he signed. Jansen hasn’t been talked about too much despite having a 3.29 ERA across 54 appearances in 2024. He was an All-Star in 2023 and had a 3.63 ERA overall for the season.

Jansen clearly still has something left in the tank. Where will he go, though? FanSided’s Michael Fisher floated the Philadelphia Phillies as a fit.

“Veteran Kenley Jansen, now 37 years old, still has something left in the tank,” Fisher said. “Phillies fans will remember him as a long-time Los Angeles Dodger and from the one season he spent with the Atlanta Braves in 2022. On track to be a strong Hall of Fame candidate, Jansen just wrapped up his 15th MLB season, closing for the Boston Red Sox…

“Despite not having the high velocity that the Phillies front office seems to like, Jansen's bread-and-butter pitch, the cutter, remains one of the best offerings in the league while sitting at 92.2 mph last season. With 7.9 inches of vertical break and 3.1 inches of horizontal break more than comparable pitches, the pitch he relied on 84.9 percent of the time in 2024 is still a weapon. Adding Jansen to a bullpen that already features (Jordan Romano) might not be a hard sell, as he reportedly wants to join a contender, per MassLive's Chris Cotillo, and the Phillies remain one of the best options in that regard.”

Philadelphia clearly is a contender and needs bullpen help. The bullpen imploded in the bullpen and arguably is the biggest reason why they were knocked out quickly. Maybe they could make sense for the former Red Sox star.

More MLB: Red Sox's Nick Pivetta Predicted To Sign With Surprise NL Contender


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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu