Phillies Trade Idea Lands Angels' World Series Champion Closer Kenley Jansen
Phillies Trade Idea Lands Angels' World Series Champion Closer Kenley Jansen originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Philadelphia Phillies are in the thick of the National League postseason hunt. Sitting 2 ½ games behind the New York Mets for the NL East lead and holding the top spot in the Wild Card, the Phillies are expecting to be active at the trade deadline, with the bullpen being a glaring concern.
Advertisement
Closer Jose Alvarado is still out after an 80-game suspension and will not be eligible for the postseason. In his place, former All-Star Jordan Romano has struggled to lock down the ninth inning with a 7.11 ERA across 25.1 innings, creating further need for another late-inning reliever.
Sports Illustrated's Nick Ziegler suggests the Phillies target Los Angeles Angels closer Kenley Jansen as a potential Romano replacement.
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74).Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
'One name that makes a lot of sense is the future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen,' wrote Ziegler. 'The right-hander is at the tail end of his career but has been one of the best closers in baseball for the last decade. This year, he is pitching for the Los Angeles Angels, who will be a seller at the trade deadline. Jansen will certainly be a desired pitcher with his successful track record.'
Advertisement
Jansen, 37, is under contract through the 2025 season, likely making him one of the cheaper bullpen arms available. In 26 appearances, the former All-Star has a 4.94 ERA, 22 strikeouts, and 14 saves through 23.2 innings. Although the numbers are unimpressive, it is Jansen's postseason success that makes him an alluring trade target.
In 59 postseason appearances, Jansen has a 2.20 ERA, 94 strikeouts, and the second-most saves of all-time, 20, just behind Mariano Rivera. Jansen may not be the biggest name on the market, but he is the most accomplished. For a Phillies team that has fallen short of winning a World Series since 2008, acquiring Jansen could be a difference-maker come October.
Related: Phillies Reportedly Among Most Active Teams Leading up to MLB Trade Deadline
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Mets vs. Phillies: How to watch on June 22, 2025
The Mets (46-31) play the Philadelphia Phillies (46-31) with first place in the NL East on the line on Sunday at 7:10 p.m. on ESPN. Here's what to know about the game and how to watch... Mets Notes With his multi-home run game on Saturday, Juan Soto is now slashing .358/.500/.679 with five home runs, 10 RBI, and 14 runs scored over his last 15 games Francisco Lindor broke out of a five-game hitless skid with two hits, including a home run, and three RBI in Saturday's win over the Phillies David Peterson has pitched like an ace all season (2.60 ERA), but he's been particularly good in his last seven outings, posting a 2.23 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 48.1 innings METS PHILLIES -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- How can I watch Mets vs. Phillies online? To watch Mets games online via ESPN, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider or to ESPN+. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser, or via the ESPN App.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
MLB Writer Predicts Phillies Will Part Ways With Inexperienced Pitcher
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The National League East is loaded with talented rosters, and the Philadelphia Phillies have still found themselves near the top of the division alongside the New York Mets. At this point, the Phillies need to do everything in their power to maximize their big league roster. This includes making cuts and trades to elevate the roster to its potential. FanSided's Zachary Rotman recently predicted the Phillies would part ways with relief pitcher Michael Mercado in an obvious move ahead of the trade deadline. CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 23: The Philadelphia Phillies logo on a hat in the dugout during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 23, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 23: The Philadelphia Phillies logo on a hat in the dugout during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 23, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. Brandon Sloter/Image"The Phillies' bullpen was already a weakness, but Jose Alvarado's suspension made it even worse. There are some talented pitchers in the 'pen, but for the most part, the unit leaves a lot to be desired. Michael Mercado is part of that," Rotman wrote. "Mercado is inexperienced as he only has seven appearances in his MLB career, two of which have come this season. "In those outings, though, he's allowed 18 runs on 20 hits in 15 innings pitched. This season, he dealt a scoreless inning in his first outing, but allowed two runs in an inning six days later. He hasn't had much exposure to the majors, but what he's done with his cups of coffee hasn't been good enough to stick around. That, in addition to his 5.31 ERA in Triple-A this season, makes it likely that he's long for Philadelphia." Mercado feels like he's on the roster to fill a spot until the Phillies can acquire a better pitcher. Philadelphia will almost certainly be on the hunt for a few relief pitchers at the trade deadline. They'll also be getting Jose Alvarado back from suspension at some point this season. All in all, it would be quite shocking to see Mercado on the roster for much longer. More MLB: Guardians Predicted To Swing Unthinkable Intra-divisional Trade For Star
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Phillies Predicted To Cut Ties With Struggling Young Catcher This Season
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Philadelphia Phillies have placed themselves in the middle of the National League East race alongside the New York Mets and ahead of the Atlanta Braves. With this level of play, the Phillies are going to need to part ways with some of the players at the bottom of their roster. Zachary Rotman of FanSided recently predicted the Phillies would cut ties with young catcher Rafael Marchan ahead of the trade deadline. DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 24: A detail of the Philadelphia Phillies logo on a hat during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 24, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 24: A detail of the Philadelphia Phillies logo on a hat during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 24, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan."Rafael Marchan made the Phillies' opening day roster over fan favorite Garrett Stubbs to be J.T. Realmuto's backup catcher because he's out of options, and Stubbs is not," Rotman wrote. "It made sense to give Marchan a long look in the majors, especially because Stubbs doesn't do much offensively, but he has looked overmatched this season. "Marchan has slashed .163/.281/.265 with one home run and five RBI in 20 games this season. Realmuto plays as much as any catcher, but all catchers need days off once in a while. It's really hard to justify giving Marchan any playing time with how much he has struggled offensively." Of the players on the Phillies roster, Marchan is one of the more obvious cut candidates. He's struggled tremendously this season, just as most might have expected, and he also has a potential replacement, Garrett Stubbs, waiting in the wings. Stubbs isn't a star himself, but he would likely be a better option than Marchan. In fact, there aren't many worse options at this point. Luckily for the Phillies, J.T. Realmuto can handle most of the catching duties, but they're going to need to figure out the backup catcher slot at some point. More MLB: Guardians Predicted To Swing Unthinkable Intra-divisional Trade For Star
