It has been well over two months since Major League Baseball temporarily suspended operations amid concerns related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
At the start of the shutdown, players were thrust into a state of uncertainty. Just three weeks shy of what would have been Opening Day, most returned to their offseason homes after Spring Training camps were closed in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommending against large gatherings.
As a result, players have taken it upon themselves to continue individual workouts. For some, it hasn’t been smooth sailing due to a lack of necessary equipment.
Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen has benefitted from throwing off a portable mound at his home to stay on top of his game in preparation for a potential 2020 season, via SportsNet LA:
“I was feeling good, everything was going well, getting right for the season. You see the cutter showing signs that I have the backspin and staying behind the ball more often. But at the same time, I’m still doing all those programs they had me doing (in Spring Training). I’ve got this portable mound I can put in front of my house to throw bullpens (off). I’m doing all this stuff to stay ready, make sure everything is great and hopefully if we have a season, you just want to go out there and prove you can dominate and help the team win ballgames.”
In an interview Chris Taylor had with Ross Stripling, he said a handful of players — Jansen included — were also working out at Dodger Stadium in small settings and rotating groups.
Prior to MLB putting its season on hold, Jansen had been in the midst of an excellent Spring Training. In six Cactus League appearances, he allowed just one run on four hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks over six innings of work.
Jansen purposely took on a bigger workload this spring to avoid a slow start to the 2020 campaign.
He looks to bounce back from a poor 2019 campaign in which he posted career-highs in virtually every category. His cutter also declined, which prompted a visit to Driveline Baseball over the offseason.
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