The Tampa Bay Rays may have just handed the LA Angels their next closer

Kenley Jansen stated after the 2025 season that he would happily welcome a reunion with the LA Angels, but the now-free agent admitted that it's a business:

“They know where I’m living,”Jansen said, and Jeff Fletcher of The OC Register posted. “I care about these guys in this clubhouse. I want to be a part to help them bring this organization back to the postseason. That’s for sure. But at the same time, when it becomes an open market, everything can go. You never know where you’re going to go, where you going to end up. So that’s the one thing I learned about the last four years on the free agent market. So it’s basically not in my hands. It’s in their hands.”

Jansen might have been a qualifying offer candidate should the Angels had the chance to extend him one, but at the same time the 38-year-old is likely due for regression after a season in which he posted a 2.59 ERA, 29 saves and 1 blown save in 59 innings. He might also want to find a team better positioned to contend than the Angels that needs a closer in 2026. Should the Angels fail to reunite with Jansen, the Tampa Bay Rays just allowed their closer to walk. He could be a prime candidate to replace Jansen.

The Tampa Bay Rays may have just handed the LA Angels their next closer

The Rays declined an $11 million team option on Pete Fairbanks, and the 6'6, soon-to-be 32-year-old could be a nice short-term option for the reliever-needy Angels. Should Ben Joyce return from his injury and reclaim his set-up man role, the two fireballers could pair together nicely given Joyce's short release point and Fairbanks' huge release point.

Fairbanks showed signs of decline in 2025, but that means he would be a cheap acquisition for the Halos. For the Angels, cheap is good! The organization will not spend a lot of money this offseason, and a player on a downturn like Fairbanks would be a fine bet for the team to make.

Crazy Pete posted the second-worst FIP of his career in 2025 (3.66), the second-worst K/9 (8.80) and second-worst HR/9 (1.04). He also has some injury risk, but the upside is well worth the small gamble it would take to bring him on. Perhaps a one-year deal as a closer would entice Fairbanks to come to Anaheim and build his value back up come next offseason.