Tigers’ Kenley Jansen Passes Lee Smith for Third on All-Time Saves List

Veteran Jansen continues climb up saves chart with 479th of career

Detroit Tigers closer Kenley Jansen recorded his 479th career save in a 2-1 win over Kansas City, passing Hall of Famer Lee Smith for third on MLB’s all-time list. The 38-year-old now trails only Mariano Rivera with 652 and Trevor Hoffman with 601.

Jansen records save no. 479, now third all-time behind Rivera and Hoffman...

Detroit Tigers closer Kenley Jansen moved up to third on the all-time saves list after recording No. 479 in Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Jansen, 38, leaped Hall of Famer Lee Smith with his third save of the 2026 season as he now sits behind Mariano Rivera with 652 and Trevor Hoffman with 601 for most all-time.

The four-time All-Star and two-time Reliever of the Year is in his 17th season. He signed a one-year, $11 million deal with the Tigers in the offseason, making it the fifth team of his career.

He spent the first 12 years as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he won a World Series ring in 2020. In the nine years between 2014 and 2021, Jansen would put up at least 33 saves in seven of those seasons, with the lone year being 2020 - aka COVID season.

After leaving the Dodgers for the Atlanta Braves in 2022, Jansen would go on to lead the National League with 41 saves and all of MLB with 54 games finished.

Then, in 2023, during his first of two seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Jansen earned his fourth All-Star appearance before finishing the season with 29 saves and 42 games finished.

He joined the Los Angeles Angels in 2024, where he still put up a strong 29 saves with a 2.59 ERA - the lowest since his final year with the Dodgers at 2.22.