Do you think a century-old rivalry that rarely cools will be set aside just for a quest for a potential trade? Certainly, yes. If you have been keeping tabs, you’d be no stranger to the New York Yankees’ bullpen mess. The Bronx Bombers need a permanent fix for the closer role after Devin Williams was relieved from his closer duties. Apparently, he stumbled consecutively during his first 10 starts with the Yankees. As a result, you can now expect the Yankees to do the unthinkable.
Yes, that would be keeping bitter rivalry with the Red Sox aside to acquire Boston’s former star, Kenley Jansen, ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. The 37-year-old played for the Boston for 2 years, and later he made his way back home due to a lingering shoulder injury that hadn’t healed. Jansen is currently in a $10 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Lately, he has been making waves and reminding the major league world why he’s a four-time All-Star.
Need a power bat? A closer?
Greg has you covered with the nine best trade chips in the league. #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/5v2azAHB7h
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 1, 2025
In a segment of “MLB Tonight” host Greg Amsinger laid out the top nine trade chips in Major League Baseball. And well, unsurprisingly, Jansen made it to the list. The veteran was listed as the eighth-best “trade chip”.
After Devin Williams’ exit from the closer role, the Yankees do have internal options as well. However, the probability of them acquiring Jansen is higher given his record. When Jansen played for the Red Sox from 2023 to 2024, he owned a record of 3.44 ERA over 99 1/3 innings. Not to forget, he saved the Red Sox 56 times out of 64 opportunities.
Amsigner was thrilled to have Jansen eighth on the list and stated, “Kenley Jansen looks terrific. And this is my surprise team. I feel terrible. The Angels just don’t look good right now. The last week and a half, they’ve been terrible.” He added, “This future Hall of Famer wants to be in a winning environment. The velo, the spin—it’s all A-plus. Kenley will be on the move.” The winning environment seems synonymous with the New York Yankees.
Perhaps, we won’t be surprised to see Jansen in the pinstripes. Amidst their ongoing rotation situation, the Yankees will have to act fast ahead of the trade deadline.
The Yankees struggle to fix their rotation
On the pitching front, the New York Yankees have struggled since the beginning of this season. Now, the Yankees have had enough with the injuries. That’s certainly why they might want to acquire Kenley Jansen to fill the cracks of their rotation.
The reigning AL Rookie of the Year, Luis Gill, is still on the sidelines with no update on his return. When it comes to Gerrit Cole, the veteran won’t be seen on the field for the entire year due to his Tommy John surgery. The Yankees are hanging in the balance with the players who managed to stay off the injured list.
As a result, there has been relentless pressure on Max Fried. Thanks to Brian Cashman’s offseason acquisition, the veteran never failed to perform and deliver at an elite level. How long will he be able to take this burden? Probably not for long, as Carlos Rodon, the lefty veteran, has also felt the burden throughout. He is finally starting to look like a great addition for the Yankees.
The Yankees currently rank in 19th place in the starting pitching ERA. It’s obviously the result of their back-end struggles with the rotation. Carlos Rodon had a shaky start initially with his poor ERA, but now he is in a good spot with a 3.43 ERA. Still, the Yankees need someone as terrific as Kenley Jansen to bounce back from these woes.
With the postseason ahead, the Yankees have no choice but to keep their players healthy, and perhaps they will get the Angels’ $10 million star Jansen to fill in the shoes of the closer.
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