Heart issues are no stranger to Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen as he underwent an ablation in 2012 and has dealt with some more problems since, most notably in August of this year when he was sent home from the team’s trip to Colorado due to an irregular heartbeat.
Jansen missed a couple weeks of action, but it was determined that he would be able to return and finish out the season under one circumstance: he would need to undergo a second heart surgery at the conclusion of the season.
Now that the season is over, Jansen went through with the procedure on Nov. 26, and it was deemed a success as the Dodgers announced that he is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for Spring Training.
Just two days after his surgery, Jansen spoke for the first time on MLB Network and said that he is feeling well and that he and doctors are optimistic that the heart problems are behind him:
“The surgery, it was a five-and-a-half hour procedure. Everything went fantastic. They found the problem, they put my heart back to normal. Now it’s recovery time. I feel fantastic, feel fine. I have a little pain inside but feeling much better.
“My doctor who did the surgery basically explained to me in life nothing is guaranteed, but he told me the percentage is higher now that this is not going to happen anymore. He believes 90 percent this won’t happen with me again. The reason is I’m an athlete, I still have to go to Colorado. Those things make it kind of, you can’t be 100 percent that it won’t ever happen, but he believes it won’t happen anymore. … Second time I did this procedure and once you do it twice, you will be in better shape so your heart is (probably) not going to go through it (again).”
This is certainly good news for Jansen, his family, and the Dodgers as his health obviously comes first.
The Dodgers travel to Colorado three times every season though, so it will be something to keep an eye on moving forward as Jansen still plans to make those trips.
