Could Red Sox Broker Unexpected Reunion With Four-Time All-Star?

If the Boston Red Sox are woefully short on one thing, it's quite obviously right-handed relief pitching.

The Red Sox only have four righty relievers in their bullpen as of Monday morning, and two of them have been borderline unplayable of late. Jordan Hicks has been wildly inconsistent since arriving in the Rafael Devers trade, and Isaiah Campbell proved this weekend that he doesn't deserve a major league roster spot.

It's hard to find suitable replacements in the middle of a playoff push, though the Red Sox have some intriguing options at Triple-A. But if a proven major leaguer became available, especially one with All-Star pedigree, Boston would have to consider bringing him in.

Red Sox urged to try for a Kenley Jansen reunion

Los Angeles Angels closer Kenley Jansen pitched in Boston for the last two years, but he left on bad terms after finishing last season on the injured list and going home early while the team was still trying for a near-impossible playoff bid.

Could the Red Sox bring Jansen back if he hits waivers in the next week or so? That's what FanSided's Christopher Kline urged Boston to do in a piece published Monday.

"Jansen spent the last two years in Boston before signing a one-year contract with the Angels. He was an All-Star in 2023," Kline wrote.

"While it's fair to quibble with the idea of pairing Jansen and Aroldis Chapman, two 37-year-olds, as the bullpen's primary anchor points in October, the production speaks for itself. Chapman has arguably been the best closer in MLB this season. Jansen isn't quite on that level, but he has a 2.74 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and 23 saves in 45 appearances."

Jansen is fourth all-time on the major league saves leaderboard, so even if it gave him a chance to pitch for a playoff spot, he probably wouldn't be thrilled about a move to a setup role. But there are bigger issues to worry about here.

First, the Red Sox would have to be the team with the worst record to put in a claim for Jansen, assuming he even becomes available. Any team fighting for the playoffs that's currently below Boston (68-57) in the standings, would get first dibs on the four-time All-Star.

Jansen wouldn't have a say in coming back to Boston if he wound up falling in their lap. And it's quite possible the Red Sox are desperate enough for the help to put their differences aside. But no one knows how bad the situation got behind closed doors, so the hard feelings might be yet another roadblock.

So we're definitely not holding our breath for a Jansen reunion over here, which further shows the need to find internal options that can produce in spots Hicks and Campbell have let Boston down.