Heading into the winner-take-all Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals the Los Angeles Dodgers figured to need Kenley Jansen beyond a traditional one-inning save.
After recording a five-out save in Game 1, Jansen said he was prepared to pitch two innings’ worth during the postseason. Less than one week later, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts leaned heavily on his power closer.
Beyond calling on Jansen for extended duty, Roberts summoned the right-hander out of the bullpen in the seventh inning. “I just felt that Kenley was going to go out there and give us everything he had,” Roberts said.”
It was the earliest Jansen had ever entered a postseason game. He last pitched in the seventh inning on May 25, 2013. Jansen was needed after Grant Dayton allowed a two-run homer that cut the Dodgers’ lead to 4-3.
“When that happened in the seventh (inning), I wanted the ball,” Jansen told Jon Morosi during an on-field interview seen on Fox Sports 1.
“I’m not thinking about the ninth right there. I want to come out and get some shutdown innings, and I did that. I just tried to give it everything I got.” As Jansen’s pitch count began to soar, Clayton Kershaw informed Roberts he was prepared to pitch one inning.
Roberts said pregame his ace would “absolutely not” pitch in Game 5. Circumstances and Kershaw’s insistence that he contribute, dictated otherwise. As Jansen labored to get the Dodgers to the finish line, he couldn’t help but notice what was developing.
“When I saw Kershaw warm up I was like, ‘Wait a minute. Is this real,'” Jansen said in an interview with MLB Network. “I started asking, ‘Do I still have [ninth inning]?’ And they said yes, so I went in there and tried to give everything I’ve got.
“Man, that’s awesome by Kersh to step up and have my back. It means a lot for this team. Now we have to dig deep, rest [Friday] and keep fighting.” Jansen threw a career-high 51 pitches over 2.1 innings.
Kershaw said he was fueled to pitch by Jansen willingly coming into the game during the seventh inning. Together, they propelled the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2013.
