Is Next Year’s Closer Already in the Organization?

With Kenley Jansen hitting the injured list, his time with the Boston Red Sox more than likely comes to a close. He’s gone on record saying that he would be interested in returning to Boston, but it is pretty clear that he has his eye on winding down his career, and this July, he said point blank, "I wanna see myself retiring in Dodger blue." These last two years should be looked at as mostly positive when Kenley is brought up. He was the brightest star in the bullpen more often than not. He ranked first among the team's relievers in terms with 1.4 WAR, second with 54.2 innings pitched, and third with a 3.29 ERA. He pitched through injury when the team needed him and offered a veteran presence to help settle the newcomers. There's no doubt, then, that his absence will be felt by his teammates. It also leaves one of the most important roster spots wide open. Let’s take a look at the internal candidates who could fill that role next season.

Liam Hendriks

Liam Hendriks has the most experience closing, hands down. Between 2019 and 2022, his 114 saves ranked third in baseball. He is a veteran presence with a huge personality that guys flock to. However, he’s coming off two completely lost seasons. In December 2022, Hendriks was diagnosed with Stage-4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Naturally, his attention turned to beating his diagnosis. However, he threw when he could, and he returned to the mound for the White Sox on May 29, 2023, just five months after his initial diagnosis. His return was short-lived. He only made 11 appearances before requiring Tommy John surgery in August 2023. During his brief rehab stint in Worcester, Hendriks made six appearances before being shut down again due to forearm soreness, which was reported as unrelated to the surgically repaired elbow. We'll have to wait and see whether the time off has any effect on Hendriks' stuff. He will be 36 before the next season begins. Craig Breslow seems to think that Hendriks will be competing for the closer spot, but regardless of his role, Hendriks can be a valuable bullpen piece.

Justin Slaten

The Red Sox are hoping that Rule 5 selection Justin Slaten will be a strong presence in their bullpen for years to come. When Jansen went down for the season, it was telling that Alex Cora designated Slaten and Chris Martin as the two relievers who would get a chance to shut the door on opposing teams. Slaten has battled through injuries this season, but when he’s been healthy he has been one of the more trusted relievers on the team. He currently sports a 2.98 ERA, a 9.6 K/9, and a 1.01 WHIP through 43 appearances. When shut down, Jansen had a 3.29 ERA, 10.2 K/9, and a 1.06 WHIP through 54 appearances. Those look pretty comparable to me. Slaten even throws a cutter like Jansen does, although he doesn’t feature it nearly as often. If given a full offseason to prepare for life as a closer, Slaten could rise to the challenge. He’s young, has bought into Andrew Bailey’s system, and could easily be the man in the ninth inning for the Red Sox next year — if it weren’t for one other person currently within the system. Speaking of former Rule 5 selections….

Garrett Whitlock

Did you forget about Whitlock? I have been part of the Garrett Whitlock Shouldn’t Be a Starter crew since the first attempt at putting him in the rotation. In 2022, Whitlock signed a four-year, $18.75 million contract extension with club options in 2027 and 2028. At the time, the extension was heralded as a steal. Whitlock came over from the Yankees in the 2020 virtual Rule 5 Draft and proved to be a top reliever in 2021. Since the extension, Whitlock has shuttled between the bullpen and the rotation while dealing with a litany of injuries. He came into the 2024 season noticeably stronger, and over four starts, he sported a 1.96 ERA, 8.4 K/9, and a 1.15 WHIP. But after an April IL stint and one May rehab start, an MRI revealed damage to Whitlock's UCL, and he underwent a season-ending internal brace procedure. If we look back to 2021, we see the makings of a true bullpen ace, someone who could easily be handed the ball in the ninth inning. Whitlock has a career ERA of 2.65 as a reliever and 4.29 as a starter. During the '21 season, Whitlock had a 1.96 ERA, a 9.9 K/9, and a 1.10 WHIP. While those numbers aren’t quite 2024-Jansen level, the stuff is there for Whitlock to become a solid lockdown closer, and he’s already under contract for two more years (plus two option years). Although it was three years ago now, we’ve seen him step into the biggest games and dominate. Whitlock has every chance to be that pitcher again, and allowing him to close should help mitigate the injury risk he has been carrying for the last three seasons.

It’s entirely possible that the front office decides to go outside of the organization to find their next closer, just as they did, and quite successfully, with Kenley Jansen. There will be some upper-tier relievers on the open market and some available in trades for the right price. Realistically, the organization needs to spend money elsewhere: a right-handed power bat, a couple of front-line starters, a power-hitting lefty outfielder named Juan Soto (but that's a story for another article). Turning to some relievers who are already in the organization and have the plus stuff and mental fortitude to close out games would be one of the smartest decisions Breslow and company could make this offseason.