Ex-Red Sox All-Star Predicted To Sign With Surprising NL Club

We’re at a point in the offseason when things have to start changing soon.

Spring Training is just over two weeks away and yet there are a handful of high-profile players available in free agency. Soon enough, something has to give. Either the clubs need to start spending, or agents need to lower demands.

We should start to see things start to change in the near future and one player who is still looking to land a new deal is former Boston Red Sox All-Star Kenley Jansen. He spent the last two seasons with the Red Sox and now is a free agent.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield attempted to predict where each of the top remaining free agents will land and suggested the Washington Nationals for Jansen.

“Prediction: (Carlos Estévez) to the (Cincinnati Reds), (David Robertson) to the (Texas Rangers), Jansen to the Nationals,” Schoenfield said. “The Reds recently signed a new local TV deal, with general manager Nick Krall saying that gives the team “a little bit more” to work within the payroll department. The bullpen wasn’t good last season, plus the Reds traded Fernando Cruz, so Estevez gives them another closing option if Alexis Diaz struggles with his control again.

“The Rangers need to replace Kirby Yates (who remains officially unsigned, but reports have him agreeing to a deal with the Dodgers) and Jose Leclerc, so let’s give them Robertson. The Nationals’ closer is … Derek Law? Jorge Lopez? Give them Jansen.”

Jansen talked a lot about how he wants to play for a contender while pitching for Boston. The Nationals won 71 games in each of the last two seasons, although they are up-and-coming. The Nationals could use a closer, but will Jansen want to join a team not seemingly guaranteed to be in contention for the 2025 season?