Detroit beat writer gives Tigers fans fair warning of red flags with Kenley Jansen

Sometimes, a piece of trivia can also be a warning label –– and Tony Paul of the Detroit News just dropped a big one for Tigers fans.

"Kenley Jansen will be the third pitcher in the top 10 all-time in saves to pitch for the #Tigers," he posted on X. "Hopefully, for their sake, Jansen works out better than Joe Nathan and Francisco Rodriguez."

Jansen is a big name with an impressive résumé and ring-the-bell closer energy. But Tigers fans don’t need a history lesson to know how this movie usually ends. We’ve lived it. Twice.

Say the name Joe Nathan or Francisco Rodríguez out loud to any Tigers fan over 30 and watch their facial expression change in an instant.

This isn’t about disrespecting Jansen’s career. He’s a borderline Hall of Famer. He’s been nails in October. He’s closed out pennant races and World Series dreams. But Detroit has learned the hard way that elite closers with a lot of miles on the arm don’t arrive here in their prime — they arrive here with warning signs.

Kenley Jansen signing is a familiar gamble for Tigers fans

Nathan came to Detroit with 354 career saves and a reputation as one of the most reliable closers of his era. He left with a new career high in blown saves, diminished velocity and a fanbase wondering how something that looked so safe went sideways so fast.

Rodríguez arrived with a monster of a résumé, too — 437 saves, electric stuff, instant credibility. The results? Fine at times, stressful at others, and never quite the shutdown presence the Tigers hoped would stabilize the late innings. He was demoted from the closer role in 2017 and never pitched in the Major Leagues again after that season.

That’s the context Paul is quietly pointing at.

Jansen is 38 years old. His cutter isn’t the same weapon it once was. His ERA and WHIP have trended the wrong way. His margin for error is thinner than it used to be. None of this means he can’t succeed — but it does mean Detroit is walking into a familiar gamble.

In fairness, the Tigers didn’t sign Jansen to be vintage Jansen. They signed him to be good enough Jansen — to bridge games to the finish line while this young roster figures out how to win consistently. That’s reasonable, but it’s also risky. Because Detroit has a history of hoping the past résumés show up instead of the present reality.

This isn’t pessimism. It’s perspective. Tigers fans may not be panicking yet, but we are certainly watching with one eyebrow raised. They’ve seen the highlight reels before. They’ve also seen the box scores when the cutter flattens out, the crowd gets restless, and the ninth inning feels longer than it should.

If Jansen works? Fantastic. He’ll stabilize the bullpen, mentor younger arms, and make this signing look smart. But Tigers fans are allowed to be cautious. History has earned them that skepticism.