LOS ANGELES — Let's start with a couple of facts.
Here's the first one: Kenley Jansen was the best closer in baseball in 2017. The long-ago-converted catcher had a 1.32 ERA this season, and he saved 41 of his 42 opportunities. In 68 1/3 innings, he struck out 109 batters and walked only seven. Elite, elite production.
And the second: Jansen has pitched in four World Series games, and the Astros have scored at least one run off him in three of those four.
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Yeah. That was completely unexpected. Jansen didn't allow runs in three appearances in any month during the entire 2017 season, much less in three consecutive appearances.
If the Dodgers, who trail 3-2 in the series, are going to extend the series Tuesday night and win it all Wednesday, they're almost certainly going to need Jansen at the top of his game. So how does he put the struggle behind him going into Game 6 (and maybe Game 7) of the World Series at Dodger Stadium?
We asked the best closer in the history of baseball about overcoming playoff hiccups.
"It's understanding the game, knowing that those situations are going to happen," longtime Yankees great Mariano Rivera told Sporting News. "And when they happen, just put it back. Put it behind you and keep going. Because whatever happened that day, that night, it's past."
Rivera was in Houston before Game 4 of the World Series to help present the Reliever of the Year awards, presented by The Hartford. Jansen won the NL award, and Boston's Craig Kimbrel won the AL award.
Before the presentation, Rivera gave SN a 10-minute, one-on-one interview. Safe to say, Rivera is a big fan of Jansen's work.
"One thing that I like about Kenley is his demeanor, and the way he goes to his business, just attacking the hitters," he said. "He doesn’t mess around. He just goes, attacks the hitters. That’s what closers are supposed to do. There’s no time to be walking people, and he doesn’t do that. It’s great to see youngsters do that."
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Rivera was at his very best in the postseason. Seriously, look at the numbers: 96 playoff appearances, 141 innings, 0.70 ERA, 0.759 WHIP, 42 saves (fitting, considering Rivera wore uniform No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson), 110 strikeouts and 21 walks.
And yet, even Rivera faltered on the biggest stage a couple of times. In 2001, Luis Gonzalez hit a bloop single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning of Game 7, giving the Diamondbacks the World Series title. In the 2004 ALCS, Rivera had a chance to close out Boston in Game 4, but a walk and a stolen base by pinch-runner Dave Roberts — the man who now is Jansen's manager, coincidentally — helped the Red Sox tie the game, extend the ALCS and eventually go on to win the World Series against the Cardinals.
Clearly, Rivera never let devastating losses devastate a career.
"You have to look for the next game because every game is different and brings new challenges," he said. "Understanding that, you have the rest of the battle won."
In Game 5 against the Astros, Jansen worked a scoreless ninth inning and retired the first two batters he faced in the 10th, but then hit Brian McCann with a pitch and walked George Springer. Alex Bregman followed with a single on Jansen's 33rd pitch of the day (after throwing 14 the day before) that scored pinch-runner Derek Fisher with the winning run.
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A reporter asked Roberts during his off-day conference call interview Monday whether he's reconsidering how he'll use Jansen going forward.
"No, we still believe he's the best closer in baseball, and that was two innings, and Bregman hit a good pitch. It was a cutter down and away, and it was 78 miles off the bat," Roberts said. "But our confidence in Kenley hasn't changed. He'll be available tomorrow night, as this is an elimination game for us. And I think the most important thing is that his confidence hasn't changed."
And that goes back to what Rivera likes so much about Jansen. It's the confidence. The demeanor. The ability to allow what happened to stay in the past and not affect the future. That's why, after the Astros got to Jansen in Game 2, it didn't change Rivera's opinion.
"I don't think that will be a problem for Kenley," Rivera said. "I think he will be fine. He knows sometimes that's going to happen."
And he knows that won't impact what's going to happen next.
