With Kenley Jansen unavailable due to a recurrence of heart trouble he’s battled over various stages of his career, the Los Angeles Dodgers have found little success in relying on the remainder of their bullpen.
They recently lost five straight games with their bullpen taking the loss in each of them. The group allowed the winning run in the ninth inning four games during that stretch.
They finally got back in the win column on Wednesday night against the San Francisco Giants, although it came in 12 innings after the bullpen squandered a 3-0 lead in the eighth. Granted, Pedro Baez contributed two scoreless innings to contribute in the walk-off win.
Nonetheless, the Dodgers have greatly missed their All-Star closer. Considering Jansen is dealing with a heart issue, it is still unknown how long he will be out.
He is set to see a cardiologist on Monday and is hoping that he will get cleared as he is feeling healthy, via Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
“I hope they say ‘Great, ready to go,’” Jansen said. “That’s why my fingers are crossed for Monday. We’ll see. If that happens, that would be great, so I can come back and help us get back in the race, and try to go where we want to go.”
Jansen is further hoping for positive news because of the frustration that’s come with being on the disabled list.
“I’m miserable right now,” Jansen said. “I need to be out there.”
The Dodgers have dropped all the way to third place in the National League West while Jansen has been out, so the month of September should be a close race to win the division between themselves, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.
Even if Jansen is cleared to return, his heart may still not be 100 percent healthy as he recently said a second heart surgery is possible during the offseason.
