Once Jansen found groove, it was game over
PHILADELPHIA — Kenley Jansen, who hadn’t pitched since April 29 because of a sore lower back, needed a few pitches to get his rhythm back on Friday night.
But once he did it was game over.
With runners on first and second, Jansen struck out Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner to preserve a 5-3 victory for the Red Sox against the Phillies.
Jansen acknowledged he was concerned about his back when he took the mound. But when Edmundo Sosa singled with one out and pinch hitter Brandon Marsh walked on five pitches, Janson regained his focus.
“That’s when I started to trust it more,” he said.
Jansen threw Schwarber a fullcount slider that produced an awkward swing.
“He was so geeked up on that cutter. I knew if I threw that slider and kept it a strike as long as I could that would happen,” Jansen said.
Turner went down on three pitches, all cutters.
Jansen now has 398 career saves, seventh all-time and one more than Philadelphia’s Craig Kimbrel.
Jansen has been dominant in his first season with the Sox, allowing one run over 9„ innings and striking out 15.
Both pitchers are in their age-35 seasons after debuting in 2010. Their careers have been similar, too. Jansen has a 2.44 career earned run average, an 0.93 WHIP and 13.0 strikeouts per nine innings.
Kimbrel has a 2.42 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP and 14.3 strikeouts per nine.
“He had a little bit of a head start on me becoming a closer,” Jansen said. “But I caught up.”
Jansen has shown a better finishing kick to his career. He has a 3.03 ERA and 129 saves since 2019. Kimbrel has a 4.03 ERA and 64 saves over the same period.
Since helping the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, Kimbrel has pitched for the Cubs, White Sox, Dodgers, and now the Phillies.
The Phillies have been using more of a closer-by-committee approach with lefty José Alvarado and Kimbrel getting opportunities.
With the Sox, Jansen is the choice to close out games whenever he’s available.
“He’s had a great career, we both have,” Jansen said. “I give [Kimbrel] a lot of credit for lasting as long as he has. I know how hard that is.”
Crawford to IL
After waffling for a day, the Sox decided to place righthander Kutter Crawford on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. He was injured in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game against Baltimore.
Righthander Kaleb Ort was recalled from Triple A Worcester.
“It just makes sense,” Cora said. “He’s going to be OK. I believe he’ll be back for the San Diego series [which starts on May 19].”
Crawford would not have been available this weekend.
“It was the right thing,” he said. “I should be ready in two weeks.”
Garrett Whitlock, who is out with ulnar neuritis in his right elbow, did not travel with the team. He has started playing catch but is not yet ready to get back on the mound.
Lefthander Joely Rodriguez started his rehab assignment on Thursday, working a scoreless inning for Triple A Worcester against Buffalo.
The Sox will want to see Rodriguez pitch at least five or six innings and pitch on consecutive days before they consider adding him to the major league roster.
“He’s getting close but not that close,” Cora said.
Rodriguez strained an oblique muscle on his right side in spring training after being signed to a oneyear, $2 million deal.
Alex Verdugo was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game because of a stomach bug. He pinch ran in the ninth inning and played one inning in right. He will return to the lineup Sarturday with Masataka Yoshida getting a day off.
Littell acquired
The Sox obtained 27-year-old righthander Zack Littell from Texas for cash considerations and assigned him to Triple A Worcester. Littell had a 2.25 ERA in eight relief appearances for Triple A Round Rock after being signed to a minor league contract. Littell had 145 games of major league experience from 2018-22 with the Twins and Giants, posting a 4.08 ERA . . . James Paxton allowed two runs on two hits and five walks in his sixth rehab appearance for Worcester. He has a 6.23 ERA in those games. Paxton’s rehab stint runs through Tuesday, at which point the Sox will have to make a decision on whether to add him to the roster . . . Righthander CJ Liu threw a seven-inning no-hitter for Double A Portland in the first game of a doubleheader at Akron. He walked two, struck out six and threw 58 of 91 pitches for strikes. The Sea Dogs won the game, 8-0. Liu was signed in 2019 out of Taiwan . . . Righthander Noah Song, the pitcher the Phillies took from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 Draft, is at the team complex in Clearwater, Fla., rehabbing from a back injury. Song must be on the active roster for 90 days this season for the Phillies to retain him . . . The game was delayed for 10 minutes in the first inning when a spectator accidently fell from the concourse into the visitors bullpen trying to retrieve a baseball thrown to him. Medical personnel ran across the field in response and the man was taken off in a cart before going to a nearby hospital.