Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen is ready for his first major test of the season — a return to Denver, where the mile-high altitude led to another irregular heartbeat last summer and ultimately a second heart procedure in November.
The Dodgers will face the National League West rival Colorado Rockies in a weekend series that starts Friday. Jansen just seems happy to have a chance to be back playing again.
“I’m excited, and also it’s a little nerve-wracking,” Jansen told reporters. “It’s good that we’re going (to Colorado) early so I can get that out of my head and not have to think about it. I’m gonna go out there, and when my name gets called to pitch, I’m gonna have fun.”
In August, Jansen experienced an atrial fibrillation as a result of the condition at altitude in Denver, where the elevation is 5,280 feet. The 31-year-old right-hander skipped a September series in Colorado when a cardiologist said he was at high risk of having another incident.
Then on Nov. 26, Jansen underwent a 5 1/2-hour catheter ablation procedure to fix a defect that caused the irregular heartbeat. He underwent the same procedure six years ago.
Now Jansen only takes the blood-pressure medication he has used for nearly 10 years.
“I definitely feel great. Ready to roll,” the reliever said before the season started. “It’s like a weight off you, doing that surgery, knowing that your heart is fine.”
After going 1-5 with a career-worst 3.01 ERA while earning 38 saves in 42 chances last year, Jansen hopes to rebound from a disappointing 2018 that concluded with two blown save opportunities in the World Series.
In his first three games this season, Jansen had two saves and three strikeouts after pitching three innings without allowing an earned run.
On Friday, he plans to arrive early at Coors Field for cardiovascular activity to keep his heart rate elevated. It will be “business as usual,” according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who added that he is “not too concerned” because Jansen corrected the heart issue surgically.
“As long as he feels good,” Roberts said, “we’re going to run him out there.”
