Red Sox Reliever Kenley Jansen Upset With Slick Baseballs

Kenley Jansen, a relieving pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, recently stated that he is upset with the poor quality of baseballs in the MLB this season.

After a 5-4 win over Los Angeles Angeles, the 14-year veteran pitcher commented on the slickness of the baseballs.

“I got to get better, but also if you’re playing in the cold weather, windy, and you get pearls balls out there that’s not rubbed well, I don’t know where the ball’s going,” Jansen said.

The 36-year-old came into the game with a two-run lead, instantly hit a batter, and then gave up a single and a walk before securing back-to-back strikeouts on Luis Rengifo and Mike Trout to clinch his fourth save in four chances this season.

Jansen even noted that the bullpen balls were better rubbed than the game balls.

“I don’t hit guys, I don’t walk people this much. And I start to get frustrated,” Jansen said. “Any balls that came, I just throw it back till when I find a good ball. And it’s just brutal.”

“It’s embarrassing. It’s been a while I’ve been playing in this league and, from the beginning of my career until now, it’s getting worse,” he said.

“It’s been an issue the whole year,” the former Los Angeles Dodger noted. “I’ve been talking to a lot of my teammates, and they feel the same way. First pitch, get out of my hand, I don’t know where it’s going. Second pitch, the same thing. Then, I tried to throw a ball down the middle, just keep going down. It’s tough trying to make an adjustment and also you have the clock ticking.”

Jansen said he got lucky when he faced Trout that he threw a few balls out “and got some that are rubbed-up balls.”

Since Jansen’s comments about poor baseball quality, another lackluster sign of equipment quality has come up in the news. Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith was recently seen with a ripped-up uniform after a traditional slide into second base in a game against the New York Mets.

With about 20 games done in the MLB this season, the media will continue to keep an eye on the quality of baseballs, uniforms and other equipment used on a daily basis in America’s game.

Article by Nathan Weick

USports writing intern and second year student-athlete at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA pursuing BA in Professional Writing and BA in Spanish/Hispanic Cultures. Juniata College Mens Soccer Captain and former president of the Juniata College Class of 2026.