Days after the Los Angeles Dodgers signed a franchise stalwart of the Atlanta Braves in Freddie Freeman, Atlanta responded in kind.
The Braves announced on Friday night that they signed closer Kenley Jansen to a one-year deal.
Jansen had some struggles during the 2021 season, but he still finished the year as one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. He had a legendary career in Los Angeles. Jansen’s 350 saves are 13th on the all-time list. With the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he’s saved no fewer than 33 games in every season since 2014 and at least 25 in every year since 2012. If he does that again in 2022, he’ll move comfortably into the top-10 on the all-time list.
The Braves, of course, are also the defending World Series Champions. They defeated Jansen’s Dodgers in the NLCS. Atlanta’s closer from that 2021 season, Will Smith, is still on the roster. But Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulous said that there’s no closer controversy and that Smith was willing to cede the role to Jansen.
Anthopoulous also noted that Jansen will have new entrance music, as 2pac’s “California Love” won’t have the same vibe in Atlanta.
Naturally, such a high-profile player signing with the defending champs will draw a big reaction from the MLB world. That’s exactly what happened here.
https://t.co/UgiXiDiGFT pic.twitter.com/Hq6tdu76HL
— Hunter Pickett™️ (@TheRealBigSnack) March 19, 2022
OK this is a pretty good bit https://t.co/DfNiOF4jS2
— Michael Baumann (@MichaelBaumann) March 19, 2022
Alex Anthopoulos has no chillhttps://t.co/rH1OtJ8Xe8
— D.J. Short (@djshort) March 19, 2022
You can’t blink with AA lurking! https://t.co/Mu49AOqkAM
— House That Hank Built (@HouseHankBuilt) March 19, 2022
The National League goes through Cobb County. https://t.co/8MbFdo1nWv
— Justin Berger (@Justin__Berger) March 19, 2022
Jansen for Freeman isn’t exactly an equal trade. A great everyday player will always carry more weight than a great relief pitcher. But when you factor in Jansen, plus the acquisition (and subsequent extension) of Matt Olson, it’s safe to say that the Braves are loading up in a big way in their bid to repeat.