The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered major blows to their pitching staff this offseason. 1-Week into the 2019 MLB season, the team’s pitching is finally taking form.
This offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff took major blows, leaving some wondering if the team would be able to continue their 7-year dominance over the NL West. However, this week, the Dodgers finally received some good news regarding their ailing pitching staff.
Kenley Jansen is arguably one of the greatest relievers in a generation. Over the last couple of years, however, Jansen has made several trips to the IL (aka “DL”) because of an irregular heartbeat.
Last season, prior to a series against the Colorado Rockies in August 2011, “the excrement,” as they say, “hit the oscillator” for Jansen. That day, Jansen was rushed to the hospital after experiencing atrial fibrillation which can lead to can “blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications,” according to the American Heart Association.
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Despite being warned that another episode was likely, Jansen decided to forego ablation surgery in order to return to his team in time for the postseason.
Three months later, however, Janson decided to have ablation surgery, which according to ESPN is “a procedure that destroys tissues in the heart that generate incorrect electrical signals and cause abnormal heart rhythm.” This would be the second time Jansen would have this procedure in six years.
Now, like a perfect circle, Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen finds himself ready for action against… the Colorado Rockies.
When asked how he felt about returning to Colorado for the first time since his heart issue resurfaced, Jansen said,
"“It’s good that we’re going [to Colorado] early so I can get that out of my head and not have to think about it,” Jansen said. “I’m gonna go out there, and when my name gets called to pitch, I’m gonna have fun."
Since 2010, among all relief pitchers (min. 500 IP), Jansen is tied with Craig Kimbrel with an 18 fWAR. Jansen looks to return Friday when the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Colorado Rockies at 4:10 PM EST.