All-Star Snub? Why Red Sox’s Kenley Jansen Deserves Second Straight Nod

Kenley Jansen served as the lone representative for the Boston Red Sox at the 2023 MLB All-Star Game.

He probably deserved to make it two straight and head to Texas for the 2024 Midsummer Classic. Instead, he was snubbed.

The Red Sox did produce three All-Stars this season in Rafael Devers, Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran.

Jansen is already a four-time All-Star, though his numbers suggested he stayed on track in 2024. He continued to produce as a top-tier closer, he just took over fifth place on the all-time saves list and he’s still putting together one of his better seasons in his age-36 campaign.

Here’s how the Red Sox closer stacks up in 2024:
3-1, 2.01 ERA, 31 G, 31.1 IP, 18 SV, 35 K, 12 BB, 1.053 WHIP, 10.1 K/9

Boston has faith in turning the game over to one of the better closers to ever do it. That remains the same in 2024. Even after early season worries and a shortened spring training workload, Jansen turned the corner to return to form this season.

That still wasn’t enough to send him to Texas with his Red Sox teammates.

Here’s the list of American League relievers that made the team over Jansen:

Clay Holmes, New York Yankees
2024 Stats: 1-3, 3.00 ERA, 37 G, 36.0 IP, 19 SV, 37 K, 8 BB, 1.306 WHIP, 9.3 K/9

Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics
2024 Stats: 1-1, 2.39 ERA, 31 G, 37.2 IP, 14 SV, 66 K, 14 BB, 0.850 WHIP, 15.8 K/9

Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians
2024 Stats: 4-1, 0.85 ERA, 43 G, 42.1 IP, 27 SV, 39 K, 5 BB, 0.638 WHIP, 8.3 K/9

Kirby Yates, Texas Rangers
2024 Stats: 3-1, 0.86 ERA, 31 G, 31.1 IP, 13 SV, 43 K, 14 BB, 0.862 WHIP, 12.4 K/9

At the end of the day, Jansen remains one of the game’s best and one of Boston’s most valuable arms as the Red Sox continue their youth-driven push to the playoffs in the second half of the season.