The Los Angeles Angels improved their record to 7-3 after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Tuesday. The win nudged them slightly ahead of the Texas Rangers for the top spot in the American League West. This strong start has come even as star outfielder Mike Trout has struggled at the plate—despite hitting three home runs in 10 games, he’s just 6-for-35 with a .171 batting average, the lowest among the team’s regulars. A major factor in LA’s early success has been the clutch performances of veteran closer and four-time All-Star Kenley Jansen.
Kenley Jansen locked in his third save of the season on Tuesday, extending his scoreless streak to five consecutive innings since joining the Angels. After signing a one-year, $10 million deal with Los Angeles this offseason, Jansen quickly took over as the team’s closer. Following the game, the Angels made a historic announcement regarding Jansen.
“Kenley Jansen becomes the fourth pitcher in MLB history to record 450 career saves and moves past Lee Smith for fifth place on the all-time strikeouts list among relievers,” the Angels shared in a post on X. The milestone drew reactions from around the league, including from Mike Trout, who celebrated his new teammate’s accomplishment with an Instagram story that read, “450 let’s go.”
Mike Trout and Kenley Jansen faced off numerous times during Jansen’s tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now sharing the same clubhouse, the two likely future Hall of Famers are teaming up with hopes of leading the Angels back to the postseason for the first time since 2014.
