PHILADELPHIA _ Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts prides himself on his open communication with players. He believes he does a good job being honest with them and cultivating trust. As a result, what happened Tuesday night with Kenley Jansen bothered him.
Jansen, inserted in the game in the ninth inning to protect a two-run lead over the Philadelphia Phillies, took a 98-mph grounder off his right ankle from the leadoff hitter. He hobbled but shook off the Dodgers dugout, insisting he was fine. Three batters later, after his limp became more noticeable, Roberts emerged from the dugout with a trainer to check on Jansen. The closer maintained he could stay in the game.
About half an hour later, after Bryce Harper laced a game-winning two-run double, Jansen told reporters his ankle went numb, he couldn't drive off the mound, and he should've taken himself out of the game.
"When you give certainty that you're not compromising yourself or the team, then I'm going to trust it," Roberts said Wednesday. "And so to then go back and say, 'I should've come out of the game,' then it's a little bit tough to swallow."
Jansen said the pain and swelling in his ankle had subsided Wednesday, but he was not going to partake in any activities. Roberts said Julio Urias or Joe Kelly would close if the situation arose. A stint on the injured list is not expected.
So Jansen will return to his role soon, looking to rebound from another ninth-inning letdown. Two years ago, the 31-year-old Jansen was, arguably, the best reliever in baseball. Last season, his cutter's velocity dropped, his earned-run average climbed from 1.32 to 3.01, and he allowed 13 home runs after giving up nine the previous two years while dealing with a heart condition.
This season, Jansen, utilizing a slider more often to counter his velocity dip, has blown four saves in 27 opportunities and owns a 3.72 ERA in 38 appearances. Wednesday was the first time he allowed four runs in a game since Aug. 27, 2012.
Roberts insisted the team is not considering changing Jansen's role in any way.
