Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen sets painful World Series record with fourth blown save

USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale and Gabe Lacques break down what makes the Tampa Bay Rays serious contenders to win the world series. USA TODAY

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen has been one of the best in baseball over his 11 major league seasons, racking up a total of 312 saves and being named the National League’s top reliever twice.

But for all his success in the regular season, Jansen has had some high-profile failures in the playoffs. 

As the Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena dove and touched home plate to score the winning run in Game 4, it marked Jansen’s fourth blown save in a World Series — breaking a tie with Jeurys Familia of the New York Mets for the most in history. 

After converting a save chance in the opener of the 2017 World Series against the Houston Astros, Jansen’s struggles began in Game 2, when he gave up and a go-ahead RBI single to Carlos Correa in the eighth inning and a go-ahead home run to Marwin Gonzalez in the ninth — in a game the Dodgers eventually lost in 11 innings.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen watches as the ball gets away from catcher Will Smith and the winning run crosses the plate in Game 4 of the World Series.

 (Photo: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)

Although it wasn’t a blown save, Jansen also gave up the game-winning run in Game 5 of that series against the Astros. 

The following season against the Boston Red Sox, Jansen couldn’t protect a 1-0 lead in Game 3, giving up a tying home run to Jackie Bradley Jr. in the eighth — although the Dodgers eventually prevailed in 18 innings.

Pitching again the next night in Game 4, Jansen once again entered in the eighth inning with the Dodgers leading 4-3. He gave up a game-tying home run to Steve Pearce and the Dodgers lost 9-6.

However, the blown save on Saturday night was perhaps the most painful of the bunch. Trying to protect a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Jansen got two quick outs around a broken-bat single to Kevin Kiermaier. After a walk to red-hot Randy Arozarena, Jansen only needed to retire little-used outfielder Brett Phillips, who hit .196 during the regular season and only had two plate appearances in the entire postseason up to that point.

But Phillips delivered and Arozarena came stumbling around with the winn

“I gave up one hard hit. What can I do?,” Jansen said afterward. “Threw the pitches where I wanted to. Broken-bat single, bloop single. Ain’t no time to hang our heads.”

Through Game 4, Jansen’s career stat line in the World Series: 0-2 record, 4.40 ERA, two saves and a record four blown saves.

Follow Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner

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