Kenley Jansen isn’t happy with the baseballs’ quality. “I need to improve, but when you’re playing in cold, windy conditions, and you’re given poorly rubbed baseballs, it’s hard to predict where the ball will go,” said the Boston reliever after Sunday’s 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
The 36-year-old pitcher came in with a two-run lead but started by hitting Logan O’Hoppe. He then allowed a single, walked a batter, and gave up a sacrifice fly to Anthony Rendon before striking out Luis Rengifo and Mike Trout for his fourth save in four chances.
With his 424th save, Jansen tied John Franco for fifth place.
“I don’t usually hit batters or issue this many walks. It’s frustrating,” Jansen said. “I kept tossing balls back until I found one that felt right. It was tough.”
According to Jansen, bullpen balls were better prepared than the game balls.
“It’s embarrassing. The condition of the balls has worsened from the start of my career until now,” he said.
“It’s been a problem all year,” he continued. “I’ve talked to many teammates, and they feel the same way. It’s challenging when you can’t control the ball’s trajectory from pitch to pitch.”
Jansen admitted he felt fortunate when facing Trout, as he managed to find some better-prepared balls after throwing a few out.
