WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao-born pitcher Kenley Jansen is closing in on one of Major League Baseball’s most exclusive milestones. The veteran closer has now recorded 496 career saves, leaving him just four away from becoming only the third pitcher in MLB history to reach 500.
Jansen moved another step closer on Monday when he recorded his 20th save of the season as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5.
The 38-year-old entered in the ninth inning with Detroit protecting a one-run lead. Jansen kept Toronto off the scoreboard, recorded a strikeout and ended the game by inducing a double play.
The performance increased his career total to 496 saves. According to MLB statistics, Jansen has recorded 20 saves this season while pitching 42 innings, striking out 48 batters and posting a 3.43 earned run average.
Reaching 500 would put the Curaçao baseball star in exceptionally rare company.
Only legendary closers Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman have surpassed the mark. Rivera remains MLB’s all-time leader with 652 saves, followed by Hoffman with 601. Jansen currently occupies third place on the all-time list and is the active MLB pitcher with the most career saves.
Earlier this season, Jansen moved past Hall of Famer Lee Smith, who finished his career with 478 saves.
Jansen did not have an opportunity to add another save on Tuesday because Detroit defeated Toronto by a comfortable 10-1 margin. With no close lead to protect in the ninth inning, the Tigers had no need to call on their closer.
Detroit and Toronto are scheduled to meet again Wednesday in Toronto, potentially giving Jansen another opportunity to move closer to the historic mark.
Jansen is now in his 17th Major League season. Since making his MLB debut in 2010, he has developed into one of the most successful relief pitchers in baseball history and one of Curaçao’s most accomplished professional athletes.
His career has now reached a point where every save carries historical significance. With four more, Jansen would join Rivera and Hoffman as the only pitchers in Major League history to record at least 500 saves.
MLB had already highlighted Jansen’s pursuit of the milestone earlier this month, noting that he was within striking distance of reaching 500 before the end of the season.
For Curaçao, the achievement would add another chapter to the island’s remarkable baseball history, with Jansen potentially becoming just the third member of one of MLB pitching’s most exclusive clubs.