The Detroit Tigers have been navigating some tense moments in the bullpen lately, but there's good news for fans of the Motor City Kitties: closer Kenley Jansen has avoided a trip to the injured list. The 38-year-old veteran has been sidelined for the past two games due to a nagging right groin and lower abdomen issue, but the team is optimistic he'll be back on the mound soon.

"Thankfully, we're going to get him back," manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday before the second game of a series against the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park. "It's been an uneasy last few days in the bullpen."

The timing of Jansen's setback is particularly challenging, as the Tigers also placed right-handed reliever Will Vest on the 15-day injured list with right lateral forearm inflammation. That leaves right-hander Kyle Finnegan as the only high-leverage option available in the bullpen for now.

Hinch emphasized that Jansen remains day-to-day, with no plans for an IL stint. "He is still working his way through," Hinch explained. "We're comfortable with the diagnosis, the treatment, and he's bouncing back a little bit better, but he's been unavailable. I think he's in a better place today than he was yesterday."

Jansen, a 17-year MLB veteran closing in on 500 career saves, signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Tigers for the 2026 season—a contract that includes a $12 million club option for 2027. So far this season, he's posted a 6.14 ERA with four walks and nine strikeouts over 7⅓ innings, converting six of nine save opportunities.

For Tigers fans, the hope is that Jansen's experience and Hall of Fame-caliber track record will help him bounce back quickly. Until then, the bullpen will have to hold the line with a thinner roster, but the team is confident they've made the right call in keeping their star closer off the IL.