Kenley Jansen of Willemstad, Curacao became the seventh pitcher in Major League Baseball history to record 400 saves in a career. He accomplished the feat on Wednesday in a 5-2 Boston Red Sox win over the Atlanta Braves.
Inside look at 400 saves
Of Jansen’s 400 career saves, 350 were with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2010 to 2021, 41 were with the Braves in 2022, and now nine saves with the Red Sox in 2023. Twice Jansen has led the National League in saves. The first time was with the Dodgers in 2017 with 41, and the second time with the Braves in 2022 with 41.
Jansen’s career high for saves came in 2016 when he had 47 saves with Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he did not lead the senior circuit in saves that year as New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic had 51 saves.
In the three-year span Jansen was an All-Star from 2016 to 2018, Jansen had 126 saves. The year the Dodgers won the World Series in 2020, he had 11 saves in the shortened season due to coronavirus, and then two additional saves in the playoffs.
Ninth Save of 2023
Jansen pitched one inning against the Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Of the 15 pitches, 12 were for strikes. He faced four batters, and had one strikeout, and gave up one hit.
Who are the other six with 400 saves?
Mariano Rivera of Panama City, Panama is the all-time save leader with 652 while with the New York Yankees from 1995 to 2013. He is followed by Trevor Hoffman of Bellflower, California, with 601 while with the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers from 1993 to 2010; Lee Smith of Jamestown, Louisiana with 478 while with the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, California Angels, Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos from 1980 to 1997; Francisco Rodriguez of Caracas, Venezuela with 437 while with the Anaheim Angels, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers from 2002 to 2017; John Franco of Brooklyn, New York with 424 while with the Reds, Mets and Astros from 1984 to 2015, and Billy Wagner of Marion, Virginia, who had 422 saves while with the Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves from 1995 to 2010.
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