Dodgers’ Jansen returns from heart irregularity

By The Associated Press

All-Star closer Kenley Jansen was activated off the disabled list for the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier than expected after being cleared by a cardiologist.

Manager Dave Roberts said Jansen was available for a series opener Monday night at home against St. Louis.

Jansen hasn’t pitched since Aug. 7 and was on the 10-day DL after being hospitalized for an irregular heartbeat Aug. 9 when the team was in Denver to play the Rockies.

Jansen initially was expected to miss about a month. He was previously treated for an irregular heartbeat in 2011 and 2012. He has said it’s likely he’ll need offseason surgery to deal with the issue.

“It’s a huge lift,” Roberts said. “He’s the best in the game, so it changes the way they’re [Cardinals] going to manage.”

This was not the first time Jansen’s heart started racing in the mile-high altitude of Denver, but Jansen has no plans to avoid Colorado. The Dodgers return to Coors Field Sept. 7 for a three-game series against the Rockies.

While altitude can spark atrial fibrillation, Jansen said doctors told him that dehydration could, too. Jansen said he suspected his body might have been depleted of minerals and fluids.

“I’m going back to Denver, man,” Jansen said last week. “Can’t be scared of life.”

Jansen is 0-3 with 32 saves and a 2.15 ERA in 51 games. The Dodgers bullpen has a 5.17 ERA since Jansen went out.

Yankees

Giancarlo Stanton returns to Marlins Park Tuesday, the first time since Miami traded him to New York in December. Stanton spent his first eight years with the Marlins and was the NL MVP in 2017 when he hit 59 home runs. Stanton went 0 for 7 with four strikeouts in mid-April when the Marlins visited Yankee Stadium. The slugger has 32 homers this year and 299 in his career going into the twogame series. “It’s going to be weird for sure walking in, going to the visitors’ side,” Stanton said. “But I am looking forward to it. It will be a cool experience.” Stanton, 28, currently sits as 299 career home runs, one away from the 300 mark. “Yeah, it would be cool,” Stanton said Sunday. “That would be really cool if I did that [in Miami].”

White Sox

Manager Rick Renteria was taken to a hospital after complaining of light-headedness. Renteria, 56, was at the ballpark when the issue arose and was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center Minneapolis as a precaution. A team official said tests didn’t show any problems. Renteria is in his third season as White Soxmanager.

Indians

Former Cleveland manager Doc Edwards died in San Angelo, Texas. He was 81. Edwards was a major league catcher who went on to manage the Indians for three seasons in the 1980s. Edwards spent more than a half century in baseball. Edwards was born in Red Jacket, W.Va.