ANAHEIM — Kenley Jansen clearly isn’t one to second-guess himself, not after 16 years in the major leagues and 470 saves.
A day after Jansen took the loss for the Angels while pitching through what he subsequently explained was rib discomfort, he said he had no regrets about telling interim manager Ray Montgomery he was good to go.
“That’s who I am,” Jansen said on Wednesday. “I care about my teammates. I don’t want to put any of my other teammates in position to come in with the bases loaded. I feel like I’m still gonna deal with the pain. I feel like I can get the job done. The worst thing is, I didn’t. But I’m not going to blame myself on injuries. I didn’t get the job done yesterday. I lost the game. We’ll treat this part and be back out there.”
Jansen, who turns 38 in September, said after Tuesday’s game that was dealing with some physical issue, but he wouldn’t elaborate. On Wednesday, he said he hurt his ribs in the weight room on Sunday afternoon, and it impacted his last two games.
Jansen said he was still “pretty sore” and would not be available to pitch on Wednesday night. He and the Angels will re-evaluate on Friday, after an off day. Jansen said he did not expect to go on the injured list.
“I’m gonna fight that,” he said. “I’m gonna try to get as much treatment as I can and we’ll see how it goes.”
Jansen said he’s had trouble turning or getting extension, “because of the tremendous pain I get.”
It has all put Montgomery in an awkward position.
Montgomery and trainer Mike Frostad went to the mound to visit Jansen when the bases were loaded on Tuesday night, before any runs were on the board.
While Montgomery acknowledged there are times when a manager has to “take that decision out of their hands” if he doesn’t think the player is physically able to perform, this case didn’t rise to that level.
Just two days earlier, Jansen was pitching with the same rib discomfort and he escaped a bases-loaded jam in a game that the Angels won.
“He’s been in that situation before,” Montgomery said. “We saw it on Sunday, and he’s managed to do it. So with respect to him, give him that opportunity.”
It didn’t work. The next batter after the mound visit hit a deep fly ball, pushing home the go-ahead run. Jansen then gave up another hit, driving in an insurance run.
Jansen has converted 23 saves with a 3.00 ERA this season, including a stretch of 21 consecutive scoreless outings that ended last week.
SILSETH RETURNS
Right-hander Chase Silseth was called up to join the big league roster for the first time all season, which allowed the Angels to have an extra arm to replace Jansen.
Even though the Angels didn’t put Jansen on the injured list, a spot opened because José Soriano went on the paternity list.
Silseth began the season as a starter at Triple-A, but he missed a couple of months on the injured list.
“Just my arm was tired, shoulder,” Silseth said. “Things like that. That’s it. Had to take a break and regather some things.”
Silseth said he’s been working with a mental skills coach and has also developed a better between-games routine with the player development staff. Lately he’s been pitching in the bullpen at Triple-A, with eight straight scoreless appearances. He has 12 strikeouts in 7⅔ innings in those games.
“Everything has been going in the right direction, mentally physically, routine,” Silseth said. “Confidence is at a high level. I feel like 2023 is coming back. I haven’t felt that in a while. It’s good to be back in that area.”
NOTES
The Angels haven’t determined what they will do with their rotation this weekend. Soriano’s turn would have been on Saturday. Because of Thursday’s off day, they have several options, including just keeping everyone else in order while pushing Soriano back. …
Right-handed reliever Robert Stephenson said he felt good a day after pitching a perfect inning at Class-A Inland Empire, which was his third rehab appearance in the last week. Montgomery said “maybe not” when asked if Stephenson would need to pitch again in the minors. Stephenson has been out since late May because of bicep inflammation. …
First baseman Nolan Schanuel said he was getting a routine day off on Wednesday. It was Schanuel’s first day off since July 10, and only his sixth of the season.
UP NEXT
Cubs (TBD) at Angels (TBD), Friday, 6:38 p.m., FDSN West, 830 AM