After another deep run in the postseason that not only saw Kenley Jansen shoulder a heavy load in terms of appearances but also stints in which he went multiple innings, the Los Angeles Dodgers crafted a plan to ease their All-Star closer through Spring Training.
Jansen’s already-modified scheduled was thrown off course when he suffered from hamstring tightness that delayed his Cactus League debut. Jansen wound up throwing just 4.2 innings during the spring and didn’t pitch in back-to-back games until the exhibition Freeway Series.
While the intention was to preserve Jansen for the regular season, the schedule may have inadvertently contributed to his struggles.