Skip to main content
Come Fan with UsWednesday, August 5, 2026

Kenley Jansen replaces Brandon League as Dodgers closer

In a season of struggles, the Dodgers have made a move to solidify the back-end of their bullpen.

Jeff Golden

The Dodgers will replace Brandon League with Kenley Jansen at the closer spot effective Tuesday, reports Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles.

After League blew his fourth save in 17 chances, manager Don Mattingly made the switch to the more effective Jansen.

Mattingly cited the “unsettling feeling” of not having stability from the closer role, and he believes that Jansen will improve the overall morale of the team.

League has an ERA this season of an even 6.00, and has struggled despite receiving a large contract from the Dodgers this past offseason.

Mattingly had been using Jansen as more of a relief ace, bringing him in tight spots that have the greatest impact on the outcome of the game. Moving him to the traditional closer role will surely cause some of the more sabermetrically-inclined Dodger fans to get their pitchforks out, but there is no doubt they had to make a change to the closer spot.

Mattingly also correctly mentioned the fact that many teams have bullpen problems, so their predicament is nothing out of the ordinary.

More from SB Nation:

Succeeding without “stuff”: Learning from plodding pitchers

Fantasy baseball: The fun is in the worrying

Dodgers beleaguered by closer Leaguer

What should the Braves do with their rotation?

Longform: The prospect who lied to play ball

MLB Draft: The draftees worth rooting for

See More: