Should the Tigers Bring Back Kenley Jansen in 2027?

The Detroit Tigers have a decision to make with closer Kenley Jansen this offseason, as the team holds a $12 million option with a $2 million buyout for the veteran reliever.

After a season filled with bullpen struggles, should Detroit chalk up the signing as a loss and move on? Or, with so much uncertainty in the bullpen, could bringing Jansen back for one more season be one of the Tigers' best options for finding some stability?

Detroit brought Jansen in to serve as its full-time closer, and the 39-year-old led the team with 28 save opportunities. Unfortunately, he blew six saves, including several during the early and middle portions of the season, contributing to the struggles that put the Tigers in an early hole.

However, the bullpen's problems cannot be placed entirely on Jansen. His six blown saves tied Drew Anderson, another player with a team option, for the second-most on the team. Kyle Finnegan led Detroit with 10 blown saves. Overall, the Tigers finished the 2026 season with 32 saves and 32 blown saves.

Jansen appeared in 50 games for Detroit, finishing with a 4-6 record, a 3.20 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP across 45 innings. He recorded 51 strikeouts while allowing 24 hits, 16 earned runs, seven home runs and 23 walks. Jansen converted 22 saves, giving him a 78.6% save conversion rate.

One particularly costly outing came on Aug. 19 against Pittsburgh, when he surrendered back-to-back ninth-inning home runs in a 4-3 loss.

More likely than not, many Tigers fans would argue there is little reason to bring Jansen back. However, with Scott Harris indicating that the organization plans to trust its current group rather than spend big in free agency, retaining the veteran closer may not be the worst idea in the world.

Jansen appeared to find his rhythm toward the latter part of the season, even if the games carried less weight at that point. The fact remains that he showed signs of improvement. He has pitched in the majors since 2010 and will turn 40 next season, but if Detroit could get one more strong year out of him, similar to the success he enjoyed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he could provide a valuable solution for a bullpen that desperately needs stability.

Still, Jansen did not consistently look like the dominant closer fans had grown accustomed to seeing. Expecting a more polished performance next season could prove to be wishful thinking. Although he led the Tigers with 22 saves, there were times when his appearances felt like a coin flip, leaving little confidence that he would finish the job.

Now, the decision comes down to whether Detroit believes Jansen has one more productive season left. Bringing him back could provide some continuity in a bullpen that needs it, but the Tigers must also consider whether that $12 million option is worth the risk.

With a $2 million buyout offering a relatively inexpensive way to move on, Detroit has a difficult decision to make. Does Jansen deserve one more chance, or is it time for the Tigers to turn the page and find their next closer?