Dodgers' Kenley Jansen to Undergo Heart Surgery; Could Miss 2-8 Weeks

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen will undergo heart surgery Nov. 26, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

Gurnick notes that the expected recovery timetable is two to eight weeks. Jansen is expected to be ready for spring training.

The 31-year-old was placed on the disabled list in August because of an irregular heartbeat, leading him to miss nearly new weeks. He underwent heart surgery back in 2012, and it was made known during the summer that there was a possibility that he could need another procedure this offseason.

Ultimately, though, the veteran decided to pitch through his condition to try to help his team win its first World Series title in three decades.

Jansen was selected to his third consecutive All-Star team with another strong performance in 2018. The right-hander recorded 38 saves in 69 appearances, posting a 3.01 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in 71.2 innings.

In the postseason, Jansen converted just three of five save opportunities while posting a 1.69 ERA in nine outings. The Dodgers made it back to the World Series for a second consecutive season but wound up losing to the Boston Red Sox in five games.

Before hitting the DL in August, he was tied for the National League lead with 32 saves. Jansen wound up finishing second in the NL to the Colorado Rockies' Wade Davis (43).

Los Angeles' rotation—featuring Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Alex Wood and Rich Hill—is capable of going deep into games, but having dependable relievers to close out wins is invaluable. That was never more apparent than this past postseason.

Jansen has been one of the best closers in MLB for years, posting a 2.08 ERA since debuting in 2010.