Los Angeles Angels right-handed pitcher Kenley Jansen is an MLB veteran of 16 seasons, and he believes mindset plays a big role in his prolific career as a closer.
“To me, being a closer is 90% mental,” Jansen said to The Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher. “How are you going to show you can bounce back? You shut the door, shut the door, shut the door. When you have one hiccup, people want to see how you’re going to bounce back.”
Jansen has a 6.55 ERA and 1.455 WHIP across 11 innings pitched this season. While every outing hasn't been ideal, the right-hander has been much more collected following a poor performance than in previous years.
The most recent example was on May 2 against the Detroit Tigers, Jansen gave up six earned runs (three homers) across 0.2 innings. It was something he had never done in his career up until that point.
However, Jansen quickly shook it off and said he was able to do so because he's much more mature.
“I like this new me more than the young, insecure Kenley, with really good stuff, punching tickets left and right,” he said. “Compared to now, I feel I’m more mature and know how to deal with it. I wish I could have had this in my younger days, but sometimes things have to happen for you to develop and become more mature.”
While physical training is obviously necessary, Jansen said his mind is equally important to work on.
“It’s just like eating,” Jansen said. “You get big. Then you have to exercise and eat healthy to lose weight. You gotta do the same thing with your brain. … Sometimes you’ve got to exercise your brain, to flush it and stay lean. That’s what I do.”
Jansen will return to Dodger Stadium, a place he spent 12 seasons competing at, as the Angels closer Friday. There were rumblings that Jansen's days as a closer were behind him, but mental training helped keep the right-hander's mindset in a healthy place.
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The trade winds are blowing in Boston. Reports surfaced this morning that the Red Sox are interested in Los Angeles Dodgers backup catcher and former top prospect Dalton Rushing. As if that wasn’t enough, the Dodgers were reportedly scouting the Boston minor-league system. Los Angeles has its eye on High-A prospects Brandon Clarke and Franklin Arias. Is there fire where there’s smoke? Red Sox Reportedly Interested in Trading for Dodgers Catcher Dalton Rushing Promising Prospects Arias is a shortstop who is currently hitting .284. Clarke is a starting pitcher and the number five prospect in the Red Sox organization. Regardless of the upside, it would make the Dodgers’ minor league system even deeper. A Brief History of Time Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman has been loath to part with top prospects. In addition, the Dodgers have had a long-standing loyalty to their veterans. Furthermore, they have signed their primary catcher and perennial All-Star, Will Smith, to a long-term contract. As a result, they were trying to see if Rushing could play left field or third base as late as 2024. However, in spring training this year, Los Angeles announced that going forward, Rushing would solely focus on catching. But there was no room for him on the roster. Austin Barnes was the longest-tenured Dodger, a team captain, and Clayton Kershaw‘s preferred catcher, who was good at handling the pitching staff. The Writing on the Wall? However, the bottom of the order has struggled to sustain rallies, and Barnes struggled to hit above a .200 when he was in the lineup. To make matters worse, he struggled defensively behind home plate, throwing out nary a runner. Consequently, the Dodgers released the veteran and called up the rookie Rushing for his first taste of the big leagues. Assessing Needs The Dodgers are in the market for at least one high-leverage reliever, as their bullpen has various injuries and has been largely ineffective in recent days. Tanner Scott and Michael Kopech will miss significant time, and Kirby Yates has been throwing gas on fires he is supposed to put out. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was open about Los Angeles shopping for a reliever, saying it’s a priority. But it isn’t the only hole the Dodgers have. The offensive output of the outfield, with the notable exception of Andy Pages, has been less than optimal this year. Teoscar Hernández has not been a defensive master class in right field, especially since his injury. So Will They or Won’t They? The Dodgers won’t trade Rushing for two prospects. However, if they can get a shutdown reliever or two in exchange for him, they would probably pull the trigger. The same goes for a productive corner outfielder. One Caveat The only other reason for the Dodgers to trade Rushing for two prospects is if Friedman uses the same prospects to flip them in a multi-team trade or a bigger package later. Of course, stranger things have happened at the trade deadline. The only guarantee is the Dodgers will do something; the only question is when. With less than a week to go, we don’t have long to wait.
A recent trade pitch from Heavy.com has the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring veteran defenseman Mike Matheson from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Simon Benoit, restricted free agent Nick Robertson, and a 2028 third-round pick. While the idea might seem intriguing on paper—especially for a Toronto team looking to add offensive punch from the blue line—the numbers don’t add up terribly well. Matheson, entering the final year of his eight-year, $39 million contract, carries a $4.875 million cap hit. In this hypothetical deal, the Leafs would send out Benoit’s $1.35 million salary and the unsigned Robertson, meaning the club would be taking on over $3.5 million in additional cap obligations. As it stands, the Maple Leafs don’t have that kind of space to play with. In fact, the deal would put them roughly $675,000 over the salary cap, forcing GM Brad Treliving to make additional moves just to stay compliant. That’s a steep price for a player they don’t necessarily need. Toronto’s blue line is already deep, especially with recent additions like Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The team also has Morgan Rielly and Jake McCabe, with Brandon Carlo acquired at last season’s trade deadline. Treliving has made it clear he likes the “length” and physicality of his defense corps. While Matheson would add some offensive flair—he posted 31 points in 80 games last season—he doesn’t offer enough of a game-changing upgrade to justify the cap crunch when the real need is more scoring up front. If the idea is to gain that scoring from the back end, it can only mean Toronto has run out of realistic options for their top-six forward group. Canadiens Likely Don’t Love This Trade Either The Canadiens, for their part, could benefit from shedding salary on a player they no longer really need and acquiring two young, controllable pieces. However, as one commenter on the post noted, GM Kent Hughes likes Matheson and has already said there is no rush to trade the defenseman. The Canadiens need a second-line center, and the return from Toronto doesn’t help fill that need. From Toronto’s perspective, this move feels like a forced fit. For Montreal, it removes a tradeable asset and doesn’t bring them back what they’re ideally looking for.
Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is in full swing, and it’s already been full of excitement. With many new faces on the roster, fans are eager to see how these additions will fit in. After a busy and eventful offseason, training camp serves as the perfect opportunity for all the anticipation surrounding the team to start coming together on the field. One of the most talked-about positions for the Steelers this offseason has been quarterback. The team completely overhauled the position, leading to plenty of uncertainty and speculation early on. While the Steelers were strongly linked to Aaron Rodgers for some time, no official deal had been made by the start of the 2025 NFL Draft. Amid the uncertainty, the team made a bold decision by selecting Will Howard out of Ohio State, bringing in a new face and creating even more talk about the future of the position. Because the Steelers picked Howard late in the draft, there were questions about what his role on the team would be. Even before Rodgers signed, it was clear Howard wouldn’t be the starter. However, during a recent 7 shots drill, Howard unexpectedly took reps with the third team, raising more questions about where he might fit in. Rodgers is clearly locked in as the starting quarterback, with the hope that he can stay healthy throughout the entire season. Earlier in the offseason, he mentioned that this would likely be his final year, though he expressed excitement about the opportunity to play for a franchise like the Steelers. That said, Rodgers has always been unpredictable, and there’s still a chance his career may continue beyond this season. Regardless of what the future holds, his experience and football knowledge are incredibly valuable to the other quarterbacks on the roster, and they’ve made it clear how much they appreciate having him around. Mason Rudolph is expected to be the primary backup behind Rodgers this season. Rudolph was originally drafted by the Steelers and has spent most of his career in Pittsburgh as a dependable backup. However, he’s also shown he can step up when needed, filling in during important games and leading the team when called upon. Rudolph spent last season with the Tennessee Titans, gaining additional experience outside of Pittsburgh. After that brief stint, he re-signed with the Steelers early in the offseason, bringing familiarity, veteran presence and stability to the quarterback room behind Rodgers. Rudolph recently shared that Rodgers has been both incredibly helpful and genuinely friendly since joining the team. Many expected Skylar Thompson, another veteran backup the Steelers signed this offseason, to be next in line on the depth chart. However, with Howard now taking third-team reps, he could move up the depth chart as the season progresses. Rookies bring an element of unpredictability since they’re adjusting to a completely new environment and haven’t yet played in professional games. It’s hard to know how they’ll perform until they get real field experience. If Howard continues to perform well, there’s no reason he shouldn’t climb higher on the depth chart. It’s unlikely that Howard will get much playing time this year, but that doesn’t mean this season isn’t important for him. Learning from a player like Rodgers is incredibly valuable, and Howard has shared how grateful he is to have Rodgers as a mentor. Even if he doesn’t take the field this season, the experience and knowledge he gains behind the scenes could greatly influence his opportunities for playing time down the road. Steelers' future at QB likely isn't on the roster The Steelers were connected to several quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, and the situation drew plenty of attention due to the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers at the time. Although the team eventually signed Rodgers and selected Howard in the later rounds, it seems the search for a long-term franchise quarterback may still be ongoing. Rodgers is only on a one-year deal, and reports have already surfaced that the Steelers are eyeing next year’s quarterback draft class. Opinions on Howard vary, as some view him as a potential career backup, while others are optimistic about his upside and believe he could develop into a solid starting option in the future. Will Howard prove himself and continue to move up the depth chart?
Travis Kelce’s move from the football field to the big screen is making waves, and not just among fans. The Kansas City Chiefs star is going viral for his unexpected but hilarious role in “Happy Gilmore 2,” now streaming on Netflix. The two-time Super Bowl champ posted about the experience on Instagram, sharing behind-the-scenes photos with Adam Sandler and his father, Ed Kelce. “Man this life is crazy!! Still so surreal I got this opportunity. Adam Sandler SANDMAN!! Thank you brotha, for the opportunity and for giving us all Happy Gilmore 2!” he wrote, encouraging followers to check out the film. The post caught the attention of his longtime teammate, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who left a one-word comment that summed it all up: “LEGENDARY.” Kelce’s brief appearance in the movie has become one of its most buzzed-about moments. He plays a grumpy restaurant manager, but the role takes a wild turn when Bad Bunny’s character imagines him shirtless, slathered in honey, right before a bear enters the scene. Mahomes’ comment wasn’t just a show of support. It echoed what many Chiefs fans and moviegoers felt about seeing Kelce break into acting. While Kelce has dabbled in entertainment before, from hosting “Saturday Night Live” to game show appearances, this is his first scripted movie role. Taylor Swift, Kelce’s girlfriend, also praised the movie. She shared the film’s poster on Instagram, calling it “an absolute must-watch” and giving it a “13/10” rating. Kelce and Mahomes have often backed each other’s ventures off the field. When Mahomes recently launched a T-Mobile campaign with college quarterback DJ Lagway and NFL legend Rob Gronkowski, Kelce responded with fire emojis, showing the same support Mahomes just returned. With “Happy Gilmore 2” trending and training camp underway, the Chiefs stars are proving that their bond runs deep, whether it’s for touchdowns or movie cameos.
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