After a disappointing end to the 2020 season, Kenley Jansen entered his 12th big league campaign looking to prove he could return to an elite level for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Though nearly two months of the regular season, he has done just that with improved movement and velocity on his pitches. “Just trusting [Dodgers strength and conditioning coach Brandon McDaniel],” he said of the new life on his pitches.
“When stuff doesn’t go your way, you still keep pushing, you work your butt off, and it still doesn’t go your way. Your strength coach tells you, ‘Hey, let’s change your workouts and get away from heavy stuff.’
“Doing more longevity running on the track and stuff like that to make me get quicker again. A lot of jumping and just try to move, try to be athletic. Trusting him, I long toss a lot, and all that stuff is starting to pay off.
“You can see it showing up now. I’m grateful to have made that decision, give it a try and spend my whole offseason in L.A., trusting him and following his program. Starting to see the success of it now.”
Jansen is averaging almost one more mile per hour on his cutter, sinker and slider since the end of last season. It’s translated to allowing just three earned runs on five hits over 18.2 innings pitched to date.
Jansen has also shown a capability of reaching back and throwing his cutter in the mid-to-upper 90s during outings. “Everything is synced up right now, so I feel good,” he said.
“Your whole body is moving in the right direction. There’s no stress on my shoulder or elbow. I’m just letting it go, and for it to come out 96 feels great.”
Jansen revealed he began his new workout program with McDaniel immediately after the World Series. “Every offseason I’ve been working with him, but I stayed with my routine of lifting heavy, running, doing different type of cardio,” Jansen said.
“We won the World Series and two days later me and him already started working out. I didn’t miss one day, continued his process and program. I gave it a try and it’s paying off right now big time.”
Jansen started seeing results in Spring Training
Jansen noted he began seeing a major difference in his pitches during Spring Training but especially felt locked in about two weeks into the regular season. “The results started to show in Spring Training, but to be honest with you it really clicked against Washington (April 11),” Jansen said.
“That’s when I felt everything synced in. My upper body was just following my lower part. Since I got that feeling, it’s the feeling I was feeling before when I was throwing the ball good a couple years ago. You just try to hold onto it.
“The cutter, you can work on mechanics and all that stuff, but it’s a feel pitch. Whenever you get that feeling back, that’s when you’ve got to hold onto it and ride with it.”
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