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Yankees hat in the dugout
The New York Yankees have started their season with a 21-16 record and own a two-and-a-half game lead in the American League East division. The Bronx bombers are living up to their name by smashing an MLB-leading 62 homers so far. Their success is largely due to perennial MVP candidate Aaron Judge , who is putting up video game numbers this season.
But the Yankees may have a Kryptonite. After making a massive offseason trade to acquire closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers, the Yankees have struggled to shut the door late in games.
However, one MLB writer may have found a solution for New York.
In a piece written by Newsweek’s Jon Vankin, he predicted the Yankees could go after future Hall of Fame closer Kenley Jansen.
”Because Jansen would be a partial-season rental for the Yankees — either re-entering free agency or retiring after this season when his contract expires — the price to get him out of Anaheim to the Bronx should not be high,” said Vankin. “A pair of lower minor-league pitching prospects — such as 2023 sixth-round pick Cade Smith, a righty, along with left Kyle Carr, a third rounder that same year — should be plenty to secure Jansen and stabilize the crucial high-leverage end of the Yankees bullpen as they pursue a return trip to the World Series.”
The Veteran still has value
Jansen has been off to a somewhat rocky start for the Halos so far this season. In ten appearances, the 37-year-old has surrendered a 5.79 ERA, 1.393 WHIP, and a -0.1 bWAR. While these numbers may not seem great for the 16-year veteran, they are likely inflated due to one poor outing.
On May 2nd, Jansen had an off night against the Detroit Tigers, where he allowed six earned runs while registering just two outs. Still, despite that, his numbers have remained respectable this season for Los Angeles.
As New York continues its journey back to the fall classic, a player with Jansen’s postseason experience could be invaluable. The Former World Series Champion has made deep playoff runs with multiple clubs. He would certainly help mentor the younger Yankee players.
Jansen has been a fantastic playoff performer in his career. In 59 postseason appearances, the Four-time All-Star has registered a 2.20 ERA and struck out 94 batters. New York could use a pitcher of his caliber in high-leverage games late in the season.
The Yankees have lacked a lockdown closer
The Yankees’ closer experiment with Williams has not paid dividends thus far. The former rookie of the year is off to an inexplicably bad start to his 2025 season. In 15 appearances for the Yankees, Williams has a gigantic 9.24 ERA and 1.895 WHIP. While his underlying metrics, such as his 3.64 FIP, would suggest he is getting unlucky, the Yankees still need to do something fast.
As of now, fellow reliever Luke Weaver has been given the closer role in the Bronx. And while his season has gotten off to a fantastic start, his career 4.74 ERA may suggest he’s prone to some regression.
Bringing in a pitcher like Jansen would, at worst, increase the bullpen depth for New York. It would also provide New York with a veteran pitcher with plenty of postseason domination, at a cheap price. It could be worth it for the Yankees to consider a trade for a potential future Hall of Famer.
Michael DeFrancisco Michael DeFrancisco is a writer and contributor covering MLB for Heavy Sports. He started working at Heavy in 2025 and has experince covering Chicago Sports. More about Michael DeFrancisco
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