Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers announced today that closer Kenley Jansen will be out of action for 8-12 weeks following surgery to remove a growth from a bone in his left foot.
In terms of recovery, he’ll be in a boot for the next month, and depending on how he responds, will be out of action until mid-April at the earliest or mid-May at the latest.
Jansen will be on crutches for about 10 days and then a boot for 3-4 weeks. How he progresses during the rehab process will determine his return to competition, but it is expected to be approximately 8-12 weeks.
While this isn’t a positive start to the 2015 season, it certainly isn’t the end of the world for a reliever to miss a month of action, no matter how good he is. However, more concerning (at least from my perspective) is whether Kenley starting his season late will have any effect on the quality we’re used to seeing from him — say, due to something like not being able to build arm strength normally.
Internally, the Dodgers will likely turn to Joel Peralta to close, with Chris Hatcher as another possibility. Or it could even be, yes, Brandon League because of his experience, but I would doubt that under the new front office.
In any case, the injury helps explain the reports that the Dodgers are still looking for another relief arm in what appeared to be a crowded bullpen. Unfortunately for them, the pickings in the relief market are slim at this time of year.
Closers
Francisco Rodriguez (33)
Rafael Soriano (35)Right-Handed Relievers
Mike Adams (36)
Joba Chamberlain (29)
Kyle Farnsworth (39)
Matt Guerrier (36)
Dustin McGowan (32)
Brian Wilson (33)Left-Handed Relievers
Joe Beimel (38)
Sean Burnett (32)
Phil Coke (32)
Franklin Morales (29)
Anybody want to hand out a multi-year deal to K-Rod over this? No? Thought so.
More than anything, I’m hoping there’s no overreaction signing due to this news, because that’s how teams get stuck in contracts they can’t shed. I’m more confident that won’t happen with this front office than in past years, but it’s still a possibility given that the pressure to win now only continues to build.
