Dodgers finalize 5-year contract with Kenley Jansen

LOS ANGELES -- Now that the honeymoon period is over - literally - the Dodgers made official their five-year, $80 million contract with closer extraordinaire Kenley Jansen, finalizing the deal on Tuesday, a mere 29 days after agreeing to the pact.

The agreement was reached between the Dodgers and Jansen on Dec. 12, the Monday following Jansen’s wedding ceremony in Curacao. Dodgers teammates present at Jansen’s wedding included Justin Turner, who returned to the Dodgers on a free agent contract of his own, as well as Yasiel Puig and Scott Van Slyke.

Jansen, who was also pursued by the Marlins and Nationals and had more lucrative offers from both teams, after his wedding instructed agent Adam Katz to get a deal done to return to the Dodgers, his lone professional organization since signing as an amateur in 2004.

"At his wedding on Saturday, something pivoted for him. I think it was being with his teammates and his family. He got a jolt of how important family and continuity was,” Katz said on MLB Network Radio on Dec. 13. “He called me over the weekend, and said he was having difficulty processing leaving the Dodgers, and instructed me to work hard and get it done.”

The Dodgers have scheduled a press conference for Jansen and Turner at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. PT.

Jansen posted a 1.83 ERA in 71 games in 2016, posting career bests with 47 saves, a 0.670 WHIP, and a 1.44 FIP, all while striking out 104 batters in 68⅔ innings against only 11 walks.

He pitched in seven of the Dodgers’ 11 postseason games, including five outings of more than one inning and three appearances of at least two frames. He posted a 3.09 ERA in the playoffs with 19 strikeouts and five walks in 11⅔ innings, holding opposing batters to just .125/.239/.250.

Jansen converted from catching to pitching in July 2009, and he made the majors less than 13 months later. In parts of seven years with the Dodgers Jansen has a 2.20 ERA and 1.93 FIP in 409 games, with 639 strikeouts and 119 walks in 408⅔ innings. He is the Dodgers all-time leader in saves (189) and relief strikeouts.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Jansen, the Dodgers designated infielder Micah Johnson for assignment.