Angels' dream reunion with Kenley Jansen foiled after AL contender swoops in

Throughout the 2025 season for the Angels, every player seemed to go through a slump at some point whether it was a week, two weeks, or months long. Their bullpen was in a constant state of shuffling as they dealt with poor performances, injuries, and trades. The most consistent thing for the team was Kenley Jansen showing up in the ninth inning and shutting teams down to earn a save. Jansen had one outing where he allowed more than two runs, allowing six (coincidentally) to the Detroit Tigers. Outside of that appearance, Jansen posted a 1.70 ERA for the 2025 campaign. And now, the Angels appear set to lose him despite the fact that he should have been their top priority this offseason.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Jansen will be joining the Detroit Tigers on a one-year deal, pending a physical. Cody Stevenhagen of The Athletic also reports that the team has a club option for the 2027 season. After a late season collapse in 2025, the Tigers are adding elite reinforcements in the form of Jansen, as they appear set to make a run at the Toronto Blue Jays for the American League Championship in the final season of Tarik Skubal's current contract. The team also brought back second baseman Gleybar Torres as well as traded for left-handed pitcher Jonah Simon. While they still have needs on the roster, the Tigers look like they will once again be favorites for the AL Central crown heading into 2026.

Angels reportedly lose Kenley Jansen to Detroit Tigers

Jansen had one of the best seasons of his career in 2025 despite turning 38 in September. His strikeout numbers are no longer among the most elite in baseball, but his walks and hits allowed per nine innings both sat below his career average. Even with the reduced strikeouts and uptick in home runs allowed, Jansen's ERA remained elite due to his ability to keep runners off the basepaths.

The Tigers' bullpen now has their ninth inning figured out with Jansen. They have two solid set-up options as well in Kyle Finnegan (who re-signed with the team on a two-year, $19 million deal) and Will Vest. However, they could still use help to survive the middle innings of games. While their rotation projects to once again be elite, their bullpen will need to deliver the leads to their late inning arms in Detroit. Nevertheless, Jansen can be trusted to deliver when he takes the mound.

As for the Angels, this move can be considered a borderline disaster. After Reid Detmers rejoined the rotation this offseason, bringing back Jansen was a must for the bullpen. Perry Minasian's hot start to the offseason has come to a screeching halt, and the bullpen is one of the most desperate in baseball now that Jansen is heading to Detroit.